Mokha:Western Yemen Around 79,000 children have been displaced in western Yemen in less than a month due to escalating fighting between government forces and the Houthis.

According to Anadolu Agency, the UN children's agency, UNICEF, reported that renewed hostilities in western Yemen have exacerbated an already dire humanitarian crisis. The conflict in Taiz and Al Hudaydah provinces has forced families to flee, abandoning their homes and possessions.

Between September 3 and September 30, over 145,000 individuals, including approximately 79,000 children, have been displaced. The situation in Yemen remains critical, with more than 12 million children in need of humanitarian assistance.

UNICEF highlighted that many displaced families are residing in overcrowded camps with limited access to essential services like clean water and healthcare. The agency is providing support to affected communities and urging for safe humanitarian access to the most vulnerable children.

On Thursday, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg called for an end to the fighting in Taiz province and emphasized the need to protect civilians and infrastructure. The military escalation over the past three weeks marks the most significant intensification of conflict since the April 2022 truce.

The recent surge in fighting has resulted in Houthi forces gaining control over key locations in Al Hudaydah and Taiz, including the strategic city of Mokha and Mayun Island, which oversees the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The ongoing war in Yemen began when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the Yemeni government.