Yemen displacement surpasses 145,000 as West Coast conflict intensifies

More than 145,000 people have been displaced across eight governorates in Yemen since conflict escalated on the West Coast in June, according to a press release issued on 28 September 2026 by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The total now stands at 145,308 people, or 24,218 households, marking a rise of 15,870 compared with 21 September. That represents an increase of more than 12 per cent in a single week. Insecurity continues to uproot families along the West Coast and across the south of the country.

Ta’iz Governorate remains at the center of the crisis, hosting 81,444 displaced people, more than half of the national total. That figure is nearly 8,000 above the number recorded a week earlier. Lahj now hosts 34,860 people, followed by Aden with 12,456 and Al Hodeidah with 8,244. Abyan has received 5,568 people, Hadramawt 1,974, Ma’rib 750 and Al Maharah 12, who were displaced earlier in the month.

Outside Ta’iz, Aden recorded the largest weekly increase, with displacement rising by nearly 40 per cent, or 3,510 people. Al Burayqah district alone now hosts close to 6,500 people. More families are heading to urban areas, placing further strain on housing, services and livelihoods that were already stretched. Numbers are also climbing quickly further east, with displacement nearly doubling in Hadramawt and rising by two-thirds in Abyan over the same period.

“Every week we count thousands more people who have left everything behind,” said Abdusattor Esoev, IOM Yemen Chief of Mission. He noted that behind the figures are parents trying to keep their children safe, older people who cannot travel far, and families who had very little to begin with. IOM teams are working with local authorities and humanitarian partners to reach newly displaced families with emergency shelter, essential household items, cash assistance, clean water and sanitation, and protection services. The organization’s Displacement Tracking Matrix monitors population movements daily.

IOM has called for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers, and for safe, unimpeded access so aid can reach displaced families and host communities. Esoev noted that communities in Ta’iz, Lahj and Aden have opened their doors to those fleeing the fighting, but “goodwill alone cannot cover what is needed.” He warned that needs are growing faster than available resources. With the situation remaining volatile, further displacement is possible in the coming days. IOM will continue tracking population movements and sharing verified data as events unfold.