Yemen - Flow Monitoring Registry | Non-Yemeni Migrant Arrivals and Yemeni Migrant Returnees in November 2023

IOM Yemen DTM’s Flow Monitoring Registry (FMR) monitors migrant arrivals on the southern coastal border and Yemeni return locations on Yemen's northern border with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Enumerators placed at Flow Monitoring Points (FMPs) record migrant arrivals and returning Yemeni nationals to identify different patterns of migration, and to provide quantitative estimates to help define the population of irregular migrants entering the country. FMR is not representative of all flows in Yemen and should be understood as only indicative of migration trends of the unknown total number of migrants arriving in Yemen at FMPs during the time frame indicated. Access constraints limit the ability to collect data at some migrant arrival points.

In November 2023, IOM Yemen DTM recorded 1,465 migrants entering Yemen, an increase of 25 per cent compared to last month (1,169). Since the joint military campaign began four months ago, the number of migrants entering Yemen through the coast of Lahj has been steadily decreasing. In August (2,249) and September (548), field teams reported notable decreases, and this trend continued into October and November when no migrant arrivals to Yemen through the Lahj coast were recorded. During the campaign, military along the coastal strip were deployed to pursue smugglers’ boats, arrest smugglers who assisted in transporting migrants, and raid their properties. The campaign is still ongoing in Lahj governorate which used to receive high number of migrants from Djibouti before August 2023 (max. in March with 15,714 migrants).

Arrivals from Djibouti have recommenced in November – however, these migrants (400) exclusively travelled past Lahj along the Yemeni coast to Shabwah (approx. 450km), which mostly received persons departing from the Somali coast up to date.

The overall number of migrants entering through Shabwah closer to the Somali coast has increased by 25 per cent in November (1,465) compared to October (1,169). The overall increase could be linked to weather conditions and sea tides as well as the change in routes.

According to DTM, conflict-induced movements constituted 61 per cent of all incoming movements in November 2023. These movements were exclusively observed in Shabwah, originating from Bari, Somalia (55%) and Obock, Djibouti (45%) (20% children, 19% women, and 61% men).

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen and challenges in reaching Saudi Arabia led many migrants to return to the Horn of Africa. In November 2023, Djibouti DTM team recorded 505 migrants (424 male and 81 female) embarked on a dangerous journey back home by boat from Yemen. Additionally, DTM observed a decrease in Yemeni returnees by five per cent in November (1,465) compared to October (1,169). Between January and November 2023, DTM recorded a total of 94,991 migrants and 50,575 Yemeni migrant returnees to Yemen. Furthermore, in September 2023, 152 migrants were deported from Oman. In October this figure rose to 254 migrants before dropping to 0 in November due to newly imposed restrictions on deportees by the Yemeni side of the border.