More Than 85,000 Forced to Flee in Yemen as Escalating Fighting Deepens Humanitarian Crisis

September 15, 2026

More than 85,000 people have been forced from their homes, many for the second or third time, by renewed fighting along Yemen’s West Coast and in southern Taiz. More than 82,000 have been displaced since the beginning of September alone, including nearly 56,000 displaced in Taiz. 

Prosper Global (formerly Mercy Corps) teams in Taiz are seeing families flee rural and frontline areas for safer districts, including Al-Masrakh, Al-Qaherah and Salah. Many are arriving with little more than what they can carry and without enough food, safe shelter or money to meet their most immediate needs. Around 350 displaced families have sought refuge in Al-Masrakh, with more arriving each day.  

This new displacement is unfolding amid an already deepening hunger crisis across Yemen, where millions of people are facing acute food insecurity after years of conflict and economic hardship. Yemen also depends heavily on imported food, leaving families particularly exposed when conflict disrupts shipping and drives up fuel and transportation costs. 

Prosper Global Regional Programs Director, Laila Al Amine, said: 

“Our teams are moving quickly to provide emergency cash. Cash gives people something displacement takes away: choice. It allows families to decide what they need most, whether that is food, shelter or medicine. But the needs are growing exponentially by the day and may quickly outpace available resources.  

“For many families in Yemen, this latest escalation means continued loss of home, security and stability. People fleeing the fighting also face economic hardship, limited basic services and the loss of livelihoods they depend on.  

“After more than a decade of conflict, families in Yemen should not have to keep running in search of safety. They deserve more than the endless cycle of fleeing and trying to survive. They deserve the chance to recover, rebuild and shape their own futures without fear of being uprooted again. Civilians must be protected, humanitarian organizations must be able to reach people safely and without delay, and flexible funding must move as quickly as this crisis is moving.”  

In Al-Qaherah, Prosper Global teams are already responding to newly displaced and conflict-affected families, adapting existing emergency cash programs in Taiz to provide immediate assistance in coordination with humanitarian partners. 

This new displacement is unfolding amid a severe funding shortfall: As of September 3, Yemen’s 2026 humanitarian response plan was just 20% funded. Prosper Global calls on all parties to protect civilians, humanitarian workers and civilian infrastructure and ensure safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access. 

Prosper Global, formerly Mercy Corps, has worked in Yemen since 2010, providing lifesaving assistance while helping communities recover and build resilience to future challenges. In 2025, Prosper Global reached nearly 278,000 people across the country with emergency cash and food assistance, clean water and sanitation, and livelihoods support. Today, our teams continue to respond to urgent humanitarian needs while strengthening access to essential services and economic opportunities, helping families meet their immediate needs while building a stronger future. 

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