Despite an increasingly volatile security situation, IOM is
expanding its aid efforts to help internally displaced people
(IDPs) and host communities affected by renewed clashes between
government forces and insurgents in northern Yemen which threaten a
fragile ceasefire established in February.

The Organization has recently distributed 500 tents and non-food
kits including blankets, mattresses and cooking sets, to IDP
families in four hard-to-reach northern districts of Al-Jawf
governorate to help them better prepare for the harsh winter
conditions in this mountainous region of the country. IOM, which
began its operations in Al-Jawf in February, is the only
international organization providing vital relief assistance to
IDPs and host communities in this area.

Working with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), IOM
plans to continue distributing material assistance through 2011 in
a bid to address the immediate shelter, health, sanitation, water
and food needs of 14,000 displaced people in northern Al-Jawf.

To decrease the incidence of water-borne diseases as well as to
improve the overall general health of the IDPs and host
communities, IOM will distribute water filters and hygiene kits.
This will be done in tandem with hygiene awareness campaigns in a
bid to provide life-saving strategies to maintain adequate
standards of hygiene and sanitation during displacement.

The general population in Al-Jawf suffers from health issues
attributable to a chronic lack of food, sanitary drinking water and
adequate shelter. These problems have been severely exacerbated by
the conflict between the government and Houthi insurgents which has
further inhibited access to essential foodstuff, goods and
medicines and put IDPs and local communities at increased risk of
disease.

Emerging priorities for IOM also include the establishment of
mobile health teams and the provision of safe drinking water
through the operation of water stations strategically located
throughout six northern districts of Al-Jawf and eastern
Sa'ada.

In addition to providing non-food emergency relief, IOM is
negotiating with the World Food Programme to initiate full-ration
food distributions to 2,000 IDP and host community families in
Al-Jawf.

The Yemeni government estimates that about 350,000 people have
been displaced by the conflict that began in 2004.

"With the security situation constantly evolving and insurgents
increasingly coming into conflict with neutral tribesman and local
populations on Al-Jawf's border with Amran and Sa'ada, IOM plans to
be flexible in its emergency response in order to best help those
affected," said Amr Taha, IOM emergency coordinator in Yemen.

For further information please contact:

Amr Taha

IOM Yemen

Tel: 00967-736.700.170

E-mail:  "mailto:ataha@iom.int">ataha@iom.int