Yemen - Despite reports of renewed fighting in Yemen yesterday, hours after a ceasefire and ahead of next week’s UN-backed talks aimed at ending the yearlong war between Houthi rebels and a Saudi-led military coalition, IOM is responding to an influx of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Taizz governorate.

Negotiations aimed at ending the war, which the UN estimates has killed more than 6,000 people, are set to begin April 18 in Kuwait. The Task Force for Population Movement (TFPM), co-led by IOM and UNHCR, recently identified 2.7 million IDPs in the country. 

Since the end of March, heavy clashes between Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition erupted in both Al Wazi'iyah district in Taizz, and Al Maton district in Al Jawf, resulting in the displacement of thousands of families.

IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) field teams responded immediately to assess the numbers of people on the move and their needs in the two governorates.

In Al Jawf, displacement was triggered by the most recent escalation of conflict in Al Maton, Al Maslub and Al Ghayl districts beginning 30 March. IOM DTM teams estimated 1,150 households were displaced within Al Jawf.

In Taizz, IOM has so far identified 3,227 households who have fled from Al Wazi’iyah district since 3 April, although some sources believe the figure to be much higher. IOM DTM teams are continuing to monitor displacement to identify and validate other displacement statistics.

Of those fleeing conflict in Al Wazi’iyah district, DTM field staff identified 850 households who remained in Taizz governorate. An estimated 1,900 households fled to Lahj Governorate, while another 477 households sought shelter in Aden’s Al-Shaik Othman and Al-Buraiqa districts.

DTM field staff helped IOM shelter and non-food relief item (NFI) teams to conduct a rapid assessment to identify the most vulnerable IDPs.

Chissey Mueller, IOM Representative ad interim in Yemen said: “As the conflict flares in these areas where the humanitarian situation has already been bad for a year, it is crucial to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. Our DTM field staff are identifying these people and informing a coordinated response.”  

In both governorates, shelter and NFI kits were identified as the highest priority, while water tanks and financial assistance were also cited as priority needs.

IOM supports the wider humanitarian community by sharing first response data on new IDPs and their needs with the Health, Shelter, WASH, and Protection Clusters.

IOM was the first to respond to mass displacement from Taizz’s Wazi'iyah district. It transported 300 shelter and NFI kits from its Taizz warehouses to Ash Shamayatayn district to help some 2,100 vulnerable IDPs, including the elderly and female-headed households.

DTM displacement statistics from rapid assessments also supported intervention by other Shelter Cluster partners, notably in Aden and Lahj in the south, and Al Jawf in the north.

For further information, please contact Bekim Ajdini at IOM Yemen. Tel: +967 739 633 887, Email: bajdini@iom.int