On Monday (11/12), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) resumed its voluntary humanitarian return (VHR) flights from Yemen to Ethiopia, the first movement since September. The charter flight carrying 118 migrants, including men, women and children, brings a glimmer of hope to thousands of stranded Ethiopian migrants facing dire circumstances. IOM estimates that over 200,000 migrants, primarily from East and the Horn of Africa, urgently require humanitarian assistance in Yemen. “Since then, I have been waiting to finally reunite with my family.”VHR flights are considered a lifeline for stranded migrants in Yemen. Without VHR, thousands of stranded migrants are left without a safe route home, exposed to increased risks of violence, coercion and abuse.
