Part of: UNICEF says Yemen fighting displaced 71,000 children in three weeks·5 events

UNHCR projects 10,000 Yemen refugees may flee to Djibouti, 230,000 displaced internally

September 22, 2026 at 05:58 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

The UN refugee agency projects renewed fighting in Yemen could drive 10,000 people across the Red Sea to Djibouti and swell internal displacement to more than 230,000. UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch announced the figures in Geneva on Tuesday, citing a new humanitarian crisis. The warning comes as the agency's Yemen operation is only 18 percent funded for 2026.

Key Facts

UNHCR is planning for more than 10,000 arrivals in Djibouti in the coming months, spokesperson Babar Baloch said.
Internal displacement in Yemen could rise from more than 130,000 today to more than 230,000, Baloch told reporters in Geneva.
More than 3,000 people fled across the Red Sea to Djibouti over several days earlier this month, Djibouti state media reported.
UNHCR's Yemen operation is currently just 18 percent funded for 2026, with $25m urgently needed to aid approximately 231,000 people.
UNHCR's Djibouti operations are only 15 percent funded, with an appeal for $13.5m to ensure arrivals can access registration, reception, protection, and other essential services.

Displacement Projections

UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday that intensifying fighting in Yemen could drive more mass displacement. The agency and its partners are planning for more than 10,000 arrivals in Djibouti in the coming months, especially after mid-October when current difficult sea conditions are expected to improve. The number of people displaced within Yemen by the recent fighting could swell from more than 130,000 today to more than 230,000, Baloch said. That comes on top of the more than 5.2 million people who were already internally displaced in Yemen before the fighting resumed.

Funding Shortfalls

Baloch warned that a severe funding shortfall was hampering the response to the emergency, with UNHCR's Yemen operation currently just 18 percent funded for 2026. The agency estimated that $25m is urgently needed to provide approximately 231,000 people with immediate aid. UNHCR's Djibouti operations are only 15 percent funded, with the agency appealing for $13.5m to ensure arrivals can access registration, reception, protection, and other essential services.