UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has raised the alarm over the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation facing more than 65,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in Yemen, where escalating insecurity, economic collapse and severe access constraints are leaving tens of thousands without safe options, according to a press release issued on 30 October 2026. Spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh delivered the statement at a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Even as the conflict intensifies, thousands continue to risk dangerous sea crossings from the Horn of Africa to Yemen. They arrive in a country where humanitarian conditions are rapidly worsening. The agency is urging urgent international attention and unhindered access to affected populations.
The situation is particularly alarming in Kharaz refugee camp in the southwestern governorate of Lahj, home to around 9,500 refugees from Somalia and Ethiopia. Although located tens of kilometres from the fighting in a government-controlled area, nearby shelling has disrupted services and triggered movement restrictions. No refugee casualties have been verified so far. Yemen has endured years of conflict and one of the world’s longest-running humanitarian emergencies. Despite this, sea arrivals have never stopped.
UNHCR partners have distributed food inside Kharaz camp, while health assistance and water provision continue with significant difficulty. Schools have been suspended, legal and documentation services interrupted, and rising fuel and staple prices are straining families’ ability to meet basic needs. Many refugees are leaving Kharaz for southern areas, including Aden, often using roads traveled by fighting parties. Since the escalation of conflict in August, UNHCR has facilitated three flights from Aden to Mogadishu, enabling the voluntary return of 607 Somali refugees. Over 1,100 others have expressed interest in returning home.
During the first nine months of 2026, more than 134,000 asylum-seekers and migrants were recorded arriving by sea in Yemen. Shifting smuggling routes are forcing people into longer and more dangerous journeys. In October, at least 139 people reportedly lost their lives at sea off Djibouti attempting to reach Yemen. Since September, some 4,200 people have crossed the sea to Djibouti and Somalia fleeing Yemen. Humanitarian organizations expect that number to rise as sea conditions improve.
With over a quarter million Yemenis displaced in recent months, available resources are falling short. UNHCR Yemen is only 19 per cent funded in 2026, with $36 million of the $194 million required. Attacks across the Gulf region and disruptions affecting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait are also increasing pressure on humanitarian supply chains. Freight rates for key routes into Port Sudan rose by approximately 32 per cent for 20-foot containers and 25 per cent for 40-foot containers between the third and fourth quarters of 2026. UNHCR is calling for urgent de-escalation, humanitarian access, protection of civilians and sustained support for supply-chain resilience.