Yemen - Flow Monitoring Registry | Non-Yemeni Migrant Arrivals and Yemeni Migrant Returnees in October 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 October 2023, IOM Yemen DTM recorded 1,169 migrants entering Yemen, a decrease of 25 per cent compared to last month (1,551). Since the joint military campaign began three months ago, the number of migrants entering Yemen through the coast of Lahj has been steadily decreasing. The decrease reached its highest point in October (-100%) when there were no reported migrants entering Yemen via this route. In August (2,249) and September (548) reported notable decreases, and this trend continued into October in which no migrants were recorded as arrival to Yemen from Djibouti. During the campaign, military points on 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 that used to receive high number of migrants from Djibouti before August 2023.

In contrast, the number of migrants entering Shabwah has slightly increased by 17 per cent in October (1,169) compared to September (1,003). It is believed that this number would have significantly increased had the Tropical Cyclone "Tej," not made landfall, which caused instability in the sea weather conditions, and brought heavy rains and strong winds causing flooding and damage to infrastructure to different governorates in Yemen including Shabwah.

According to DTM, conflict-induced movements constituted 78 per cent of all incoming movements in October 2023. These movements were exclusively observed in Shabwah, originating from Bari, Somalia (26% children, 19% women, and 55% men).

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen and challenges in reaching Saudi Arabia led many migrants to return to the Horn of Africa. In October 2023, Djibouti DTM team recorded 588 migrants (567 male and 21 female) embarked on a dangerous journey back home by boat from Yemen. Additionally, DTM observed an increase in Yemeni returnees by eight per cent in October (5,386) compared to September (5,007). Between January and September 2023, DTM recorded a total of 93,526 migrants and 45,464 Yemeni migrant returnees to Yemen.