African migrants remain the victims of widespread violations committed by smugglers in Yemen. Sexual abuse against male and female migrants, including children, has also been reported at all transit points from Yemen’s southern coast to its northern border, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Every month, about five thousand migrants arrive in Yemen.
From July to September 2022, the IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix recorded over 15,700 migrants arriving to the shores of Yemen, bringing the total arrivals to more than 42,000 thus far in 2022.
Among the tens of thousands of migrants arriving, mainly from Ethiopia and Somalia, many continue to face severe protection risks such as abduction, torture, detention, and exploitation.
During the IOM’s reporting period, an increase in the number of migrants approaching IOM Migrant Response Points (MRPs) in both Aden and Marib for assistance was observed, indicating the severe situation migrants perpetually face throughout the country.
The primary migration routes through the country remain under the grip of ruthless smugglers and traffickers.
Smugglers maintain strong networks preying on migrant’s vulnerable situations, where extortion, forced/unpaid labor, and rape among other forms of abuse are utilized to keep migrants trapped in inhumane conditions.
In transit areas such as Marib, smugglers have an undeniable presence and considerable influence over movements in and out of the governorate, onwards to the north of Yemen.
In areas near landing points, such as Ras Al Ara (Lahj governorate), migrants routinely report physical abuse and detention upon arrival where they are extorted for additional funds before they can be released and continue their journeys.
Often, photos of their abuse are sent to family members in their countries of origin to provoke them to send money to secure release.
Further exacerbating the situation, a power struggle between both Yemeni and Ethiopian smugglers has emerged, with smugglers resorting to violence against one another to take control of the migrants’ movements – where migrants bear the brutal brunt of consequences.
