Over 250,000 Displaced in Yemen as Taiz Fighting Cuts Off City and Missile Strike Kills 50 in Shabwa
Displacement Surge in Taiz
Hostilities in and around Taiz continue to drive families from their homes, increasingly cutting off Taiz city, with more than a quarter of a million displaced since early August and over 82,000 this month. [1] The majority of those fleeing in October came from Taiz governorate. [1] As of 13 October, displacement caused by escalation in western Yemen had reached an approximate 227,683 individuals since 1 August. [5] Yemen's government forces have targeted Houthi positions, vehicles and weapons south of Taiz as fighting continues to escalate across the country. [2]
Civilian Toll and Deteriorating Conditions
The UN Human Rights Office has verified 240 civilian casualties since the escalation began, half of them children. [1] Conditions in Taiz city have deteriorated rapidly, with food stocks exhausted, market prices up at least 50 percent, water supplies halved, limited cooking gas, and hospitals running out of medicines, oxygen and fuel. [1] Humanitarian partners distributed the last available food packages last week, leaving families dependent on markets where prices have surged. [1] Water supplies have fallen by half and cooking gas remains very limited. [1] Hospitals continue to report shortages of medicines, oxygen and fuel. [1]
Yemeni government forces advance against Houthi positions south of Taiz amid escalating fighting. — Source: thenewarab
Major Houthi Attack in Shabwa
A Houthi ballistic missile attack on a military camp in Shabwa killed at least 50-53 government recruits and wounded over 200, one of the deadliest attacks in the recent surge. [2] Iranian-backed Houthi rebels struck the al-Alam military camp in southern Yemen on Monday, killing at least 53 soldiers according to provincial authorities in Shabwa. [4] The rebels fired three ballistic missiles on the camp, wounding 200 recruits. [4] The camp is located in the Jardan district north of the provincial capital of Ataq and sits on a route to the government-controlled province of Marib. [4] The missiles struck while recruits were lining up in formation for a training session. [4] Rashad al-Alimi, head of the ruling Presidential Leadership Council, said those killed were new recruits from around the country and promised a firm response. [4] The Houthi-run SABA news agency claimed the rebel attack killed and wounded dozens. [4] Col. Majed al-Nazili, spokesman for Yemen’s military, confirmed that the Houthis fired three ballistic missiles at a training center for police and security forces. [4]
Reproductive Health Crisis for Displaced Women
More than 3,100 pregnant women have been displaced since early September. [3] Nine UNFPA-supported health facilities have been destroyed or rendered nonfunctional and eight have suspended services, with about three women dying daily from pregnancy-related causes. [3] Women in Yemen face growing risks as fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and the Saudi-backed government forces limits reproductive health care, with some facilities providing emergency obstetric care repurposing to treat war-wounded. [3] Francesco Galtieri, the UN Population Fund’s representative in Yemen, told The Associated Press that about three women were dying each day due to pregnancy and childbirth-related causes as recently as eight weeks ago. [3] Sudden displacement and growing uncertainty are worsening the situation, limiting services further for pregnant women and women of reproductive age. [3] The agency said nine UNFPA-supported health facilities have reportedly been destroyed or rendered nonfunctional and eight others have suspended services. [3] Many pregnant women no longer know where they will give birth, and some have delivered by the roadside. [3]
Pregnant women in Yemen face growing risks as fighting limits healthcare access. — Source: africanews
Humanitarian Response and Gaps
Humanitarian partners have reached more than 163,000 displaced people with emergency assistance since August, including cash to over 92,000, food to over 88,000, water and sanitation to over 65,000, and healthcare to over 38,500, but needs outpace response with four in 10 households still awaiting food aid. [1] Teams have screened more than 67,000 children and pregnant and breastfeeding women for malnutrition. [1] OCHA is concerned about the growing risk of cholera in overcrowded displacement sites. [1] OCHA also remains concerned over access constraints. [1] Since 8 October, partners have not been able to move between Ta’iz city and districts to the south. [1] Supplies in Aden and in warehouses in the Al-Turba area cannot reach the people who need them. [1] Insecurity and road closures continue to delay assistance to newly displaced families. [1]
Calls for Civilian Protection and Access
OCHA calls on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, to respect international humanitarian law, and to allow the safe and sustained passage of humanitarian assistance and essential commercial goods into and within Ta’iz. [1] OCHA remains deeply concerned over continued strikes hitting populated areas and reportedly causing civilian casualties. [1]
What to watch next: OCHA warns that further displacement is expected as fighting continues, putting additional pressure on already strained services while access constraints since 8 October prevent movement of supplies between Ta’iz city and southern districts. [1]
