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         UN: Millions Forcibly Displaced by Year-Long Conflict in Yemen

   by Lisa Schlein

   U.N. agencies are expressing growing concern about the millions of
   people who have been forcibly displaced by the nearly year-long
   conflict in Yemen.  The United Nations reports more than 3,000
   civilians have been killed and nearly 6,000 wounded since Saudi Arabia
   began bombing Houthi rebels on March 26, 2015.  These numbers do not
   reflect casualties among the fighting forces.

   U.N. refugee spokesman Leo Dobbs says the latest report of a special
   Task Force on Population Movement shows more than 2.4 million people
   now are internally displaced in Yemen.

   "This is a staggeringly high figure and a cause for grave alarm and the
   situation is likely to get worse amid increasingly dire humanitarian
   and socioeconomic conditions and with no political settlement in
   sight," Dobbs said.

   Dobbs says most of the displaced are in five areas where the conflict
   is most intense - namely Taizz, Hajjah, Sana'a, Amran, and Sa'ada.

   ''"We have been trying to get aid into these areas - these displacement
   areas," Dobbs said. "We are imploring all sides to allow humanitarian
   access to the hardest hit areas."

   The Saudi-led coalition has imposed a blockade on the import of food,
   medicine, fuel and other essentials for most of the past year.  From
   time to time, there has been an easing of the restrictions, which has
   allowed some, but not enough life-saving commodities into Yemen.

   The International Organization for Migration says it is very concerned
   about the situation of thousands of third country nationals caught up
   in the conflict.  It says they are subject to all kinds of violence and
   chaos.

   IOM spokesman Joel Millman says thousands of Somali asylum seekers and
   Ethiopian migrants who want to transit to the Middle East are stranded
   in war-torn Yemen.

   "There is a wide belief that 92,000 people managed to enter Yemen last
   year from Somalia...and Ethiopia," said Millman. "Their whereabouts is
   not entirely known.  We know that some have managed to get to their
   destinations, but we know many have not. Then there are concerns about
   abduction and detention in Yemen now."

   The United Nations launched an appeal for $1.8 billion last month to
   provide humanitarian assistance to 13.6 million people in need.  Just 2
   percent are funded.

   ''

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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/millions-forcibly-displaced-by-year-l
   ong-conflict-in-yemen-un-says/3225773.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/millions-forcibly-displaced-by-year-long-conflict-in-yemen-un-says/3225773.html