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GENEVA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) indicated Tuesday the number of internally displaced persons (IDP) in Yemen at 2,305,048.
The data comes from a displacement-tracking mechanism set up between the UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Representing a record high, this latest figure is up from the 545,719 IDPs recorded in mid-May 2015.
This means that close to one in 10 Yemenis today have had to seek refuge elsewhere in the country as a result of the ongoing conflict which erupted in March this year, with the lack of basic services and minimum livelihood opportunities compounding the dire situation.
The refugee agency reported that it has provided 22,883 IDP families, representing 147,386 individuals, with emergency relief items since the end of March despite difficulties in accessing vulnerable populations.
UNHCR calls on all parties of the conflict to protect the lives and rights of civilians, including refugees and the internally displaced.
