By Zamzam Daqare. - Reporter
DJIBOUTI (Dawan) – September 12, 2026 – More than 500 Yemeni refugees, including women and children, were rescued on Saturday off the coast of Obock in northern Djibouti after facing difficulties during a sea journey across the Bab al-Mandab Strait, according to the Djibouti News Agency.
Djibouti’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, said the refugees arrived in Obock, with some rescued at sea after the boats they were travelling on ran out of fuel during the journey.
Obock, located about 20 kilometres from Yemen’s coast, has long been a destination for people fleeing the conflict in Yemen due to its location along a key maritime route connecting the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
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The minister praised the efforts of Djibouti’s navy and coast guard, in coordination with other government institutions, for carrying out rescue operations and providing emergency assistance to those rescued.
Djibouti has in recent years hosted thousands of refugees and asylum seekers from countries affected by conflict and instability in the region.
The movement of refugees from Yemen has increased as the ongoing conflict continues to affect population movements between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.