New war on Al Qaeda displaces hundreds of people from home

New war on Al Qaeda displaces hundreds of people from home 

Source: UNHCR press release, 06/02/2013

UNHCR assists over 500 newly displaced families in Dhamar

Hundreds of families have been displaced during recent fighting in Rada’a district in Al Bayda Governorate. Many have taken shelter with host families, in farm sheds, and even in caves in Rada’a district and in Dhamar Governorate.

UNHCR has delivered an initial 505 kits containing mattresses, blankets, sleeping mats, water buckets, kitchen sets and plastic sheets for displaced family. The kits are distributed by UNHCR’s implementing partner, Charitable Society for Social Welfare (CSSW), in close cooperation with local authorities.

In order to assess the situation, a joint mission consisting of UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNFPA and DRC visited Dhamar on 3-4 February to meet with the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and collect information about their needs.

There are a high number of children and elderly among the IDPs and they are very poor, as is their host community. IDP families are suffering difficult and unsafe living conditions, lacking the basic means to survive. Many of the IDPs are in need of medical care and food assistance. “The houses are overcrowded. In some several cases, there are 3-4 families under one roof,” said UNHCR’s Senior Protection Officer Hagir Musa in Sana’a.

According to the residents of al-Manaseh, Rada’a, the fighting has led to destroyed houses, farms and other property, although the full extent of the damage is as yet unknown. “Although we hope for a quick solution to the crisis, we continue to assist and advocate on behalf of internally displaced persons,” said Mrs. Musa.

UNHCR is the lead international agency responding to protection and shelter needs of Yemenis that have been internally displaced and has assisted over 100,000 IDPs return to Abyan since July. UNHCR is working towards durable solutions for over 320,000 IDPs in the northern governorates, and addresses the needs of over 230,000 refugees in the context of mixed migration.