Renewed fighting in Yemen is driving families towards Somalia’s northeastern coast, placing fresh demands on Puntland’s authorities and humanitarian agencies to provide protection and assistance.

BOSSASO, Puntland (WDN) — The renewed conflict in Yemen is creating a new humanitarian challenge across the Gulf of Aden, with people fleeing the violence arriving in Puntland, including through the coastal port city of Bossaso.

The arrivals include Yemeni refugees seeking safety from escalating hostilities and Somali nationals returning after years of living in Yemen. Their journeys reflect the increasingly interconnected humanitarian crises affecting the two sides of the Gulf of Aden, where conflict can turn people who once found refuge abroad into refugees or returnees themselves.

A report published by Puntland Signal on September 19 said authorities in Puntland and Somaliland had reported increased arrivals, numbering in the hundreds across the two regions. The report did not provide a separate figure for Puntland or a detailed breakdown of Yemeni refugees and Somali returnees.

The developments follow renewed fighting in Yemen that has displaced tens of thousands of people inside the country and prompted others to seek safety across the sea. Reuters reported on September 18 that at least 112,000 people had been displaced within Yemen, while nearly 3,000 had fled by sea to Djibouti. Some refugees and returnees were also reported in Puntland and Somaliland.

Bossaso’s humanitarian responsibility

Bossaso has a long history as a gateway for people moving between Somalia and the Arabian Peninsula. During earlier phases of Yemen’s conflict, the city received both Yemeni refugees and Somali families returning after years abroad.

The United Nations refugee agency documented this pattern in 2015, when families fleeing Yemen arrived in Bossaso and received temporary accommodation and assistance while arranging onward travel to relatives elsewhere in Somalia.

The current situation presents different needs for different groups. Yemeni families escaping conflict may require temporary shelter, food, healthcare, documentation and protection while considering their next steps. Somali returnees may need help reconnecting with relatives, finding accommodation and rebuilding livelihoods after returning to a country that may have changed considerably during their absence.

The scale of these needs in Bossaso remains unclear. However, any sustained increase in arrivals could place additional pressure on local services and humanitarian organisations, particularly if international assistance does not keep pace with demand.

A call for coordinated action

Puntland’s authorities, the Federal Government of Somalia, the United Nations and humanitarian organizations face the task of ensuring that new arrivals are identified, registered where appropriate and assessed according to their individual circumstances.

Yemeni refugees should have access to protection, while Somali returnees need practical support to reintegrate into their communities. Women, children and people with urgent medical needs may require particular attention.

The response must also recognize the contribution of local communities, which often provide the first assistance to displaced people. Without adequate resources, however, the responsibility can become difficult to sustain.

The renewed arrivals are a reminder that the consequences of Yemen’s war extend beyond its borders. For Puntland, Bossaso is once again a place of refuge for people crossing the Gulf of Aden in search of safety.

The immediate challenge is to ensure that those arriving are not left without shelter, protection or basic services. As the conflict continues, timely humanitarian assistance and coordination will be essential to prevent a regional emergency from becoming a deeper crisis for vulnerable families and the communities receiving them.

Sources: Reuters and Puntland Media