Escalating fighting in Yemen forces tens of thousands to flee homes

Escalating fighting between Yemen's Houthi group and government forces has forced many Yemenis to flee their homes.

Among them is the family of Hani Ahmed, who moved to Aden from the Red Sea port city of Mocha, where the two sides have engaged in fierce battles.

Faced with the sudden outbreak of fighting, they had little time to pack. Grabbing only a few belongings, they hurriedly left their home.

At a temporary camp in Aden, limited shelter and shortages of daily necessities have left them facing new hardships.

"We evacuated from Mocha to the coastal area. I live here with my six children -- three girls and three boys. We left last Thursday and have been living here ever since. We have nothing, nothing at all," Ahmed said.

"More than 25,000 households or nearly 100,000 people are in need of basic livelihood support. We need daily necessities. We need shelters. We need food and drinking water," said Sultan Abu Zayed, another displaced Yemeni.

Yemen's conflict erupted in late 2014 when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.

The latest fighting follows major Houthi gains along Yemen's southwestern Red Sea coast earlier this month.

Escalating fighting in Yemen forces tens of thousands to flee homes

Escalating armed conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has displaced more than 70,000 people and strained local communities and humanitarian access, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday.

The OCHA said the intensifying hostilities in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces have triggered large-scale displacement, heaping mounting pressure on local livelihoods and public services.

According to OCHA, the surge in violence since mid-August has driven over 70,000 people to flee their homes and take refuge in the Walikale territory of North Kivu.

The mass influx of displaced populations has severely overstretched local basic public services, placing a heavy burden on host communities across the region.

Compounding the crisis, the worsening security situation has not only restricted civilian mobility in affected zones, but also severely hampered the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance.

OCHA renewed its call on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians and ensure safe, unimpeded humanitarian access so that life-saving supplies can reach affected populations without delay.

Escalating conflict in eastern DRC displaces over 70,000 civilians: UN