Shibbir Ahmed, New York — Nearly 86,000 people have fled their homes in Yemen as fighting between government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels intensifies, the United Nations said, citing displacement figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

IOM said 85,818 people had been displaced by the renewed fighting, including 82,164 since the beginning of September alone. The latest wave of displacement has followed intensified hostilities along Yemen’s western coast and in parts of Taiz and Al-Hodeidah. Taiz has emerged as one of the areas hardest hit by the renewed fighting, with about 9,280 households—nearly 56,000 people—displaced, according to IOM figures.

The escalation comes as the Houthis advance along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, raising fears of a wider conflict and further civilian displacement. The Iran-backed group has made gains in areas near the strategic port of Mocha and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is one of the world’s most important maritime routes. Any prolonged disruption in the area could affect international shipping, global trade and energy supplies.

The humanitarian crisis is also spilling beyond Yemen’s borders. More than 2,000 Yemenis fleeing the violence have reached Djibouti by sea, according to IOM. The crossings add another layer of danger for people already displaced by the conflict.

IOM Director General Amy Pope warned that behind the displacement figures are families who have repeatedly lost their homes and livelihoods. Many people fleeing the latest violence are crossing the sea with little more than what they can carry because they have few remaining options for safety.

Yemen has endured more than a decade of conflict since the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. A UN-brokered truce in 2022 brought a period of relative calm and largely halted major fighting, but it expired after six months without producing a lasting political settlement.

The renewed offensive has raised fears that Yemen could once again descend into prolonged large-scale warfare. Humanitarian agencies have warned that continued fighting and repeated displacement will put additional pressure on families already struggling with poverty, food insecurity and limited access to basic services.

With tens of thousands of people newly displaced and thousands more crossing the sea to Djibouti, the latest escalation threatens to deepen one of the world’s longest-running humanitarian crises.

Shibbir Ahmed, UN, New York: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in southern Lebanon and urged Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanese territory as Israeli military operations intensify in and around Nabatieh.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, Guterres said he was deeply concerned about the escalating Israeli military operations and condemned the mounting civilian casualties, including women and children killed and injured in the attacks. The UN chief also expressed alarm over the displacement caused by evacuation orders and the widespread destruction reported across Nabatieh District.

According to the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, around 5,000 families, or approximately 20,000 people, fled Nabatieh District last week. Healthcare services in the area are also facing increasing pressure as the conflict intensifies. Guterres was particularly concerned by reports of Israeli strikes affecting hospitals, healthcare workers and public institutions, as well as restrictions on humanitarian access.

He stressed that all parties must comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, and emphasized that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times.

“Civilians and civilian objects must be protected at all times, and attacks directed against them are unacceptable,” the UN chief said. Guterres called for an immediate end to the hostilities, urged Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanese territory and called on all sides to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also urged the parties to fulfil their obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006 to help establish a lasting cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, reported a sharp increase in Israeli military activity between Thursday and Monday, including ground operations, projectile fire, airstrikes and violations of Lebanese airspace.

UNIFIL detected 528 projectiles fired by the Israel Defense Forces during that period. On Sunday alone, the peacekeeping mission recorded 62 Israeli airspace violations, among the highest daily totals since June. UNIFIL also reported airstrikes in both sectors of its area of operations and north of the Litani River. For the first time since June 21, the mission also detected one projectile fired by Hezbollah on Sunday.

The UN said the deteriorating security situation is further worsening humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon. UNIFIL facilitated 13 humanitarian missions between Thursday and Monday in coordination with OCHA, all in its western sector. The Secretary-General said the United Nations remains committed to supporting efforts to end the violence, protect civilians and advance a lasting solution to the conflict.

Editorial:

Bangladesh’s Rohingya crisis is no longer simply a humanitarian emergency. After years of hosting a large displaced population, the crisis has increasingly become intertwined with national security, border management, economic pressure, environmental degradation and regional stability.

Bangladesh has demonstrated remarkable humanitarian responsibility by providing shelter and assistance to Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar. But humanitarian assistance, however essential, cannot be a permanent solution. The longer the crisis continues, the greater the burden becomes for Bangladesh—and the greater the risks become for the refugees themselves.

The fundamental question is therefore becoming increasingly difficult to avoid: How long can Bangladesh continue to manage the crisis without a credible pathway to resolving it?

Food, healthcare, education and shelter remain essential for the Rohingya population. International humanitarian assistance must continue. But relief programmes address the consequences of displacement, not its root causes.

The central issue remains unchanged: why are the Rohingya unable to return safely to their homeland, and what must be done to create the conditions for a voluntary, safe and dignified return?That is where diplomacy must take centre stage.

A humanitarian crisis with security implications 

The prolonged presence of large refugee communities has placed significant pressure on Bangladesh, particularly in Cox’s Bazar and surrounding areas. Local infrastructure, public services, the environment and economic opportunities have all faced additional pressure.

There is also a growing security dimension. Concerns over organised crime, human trafficking, narcotics networks, illegal arms flows and the activities of armed groups in and around refugee camps cannot be ignored. At the same time, it is important not to stigmatise the Rohingya population as a whole. The overwhelming majority are victims of displacement who want security, basic rights and the opportunity to return home.

The challenge for Bangladesh is to protect the refugee population while preventing criminal and armed networks from exploiting the vulnerability created by prolonged displacement. This requires stronger law enforcement, intelligence cooperation, border surveillance and action against trafficking and organised crime. But security measures must also remain consistent with humanitarian principles. Ordinary refugees should not become victims of collective suspicion or punishment.

Myanmar remains at the centre of the problem

Ultimately, the Rohingya crisis cannot be permanently resolved inside Bangladesh because the root of the displacement lies in Myanmar. The continuing instability in Myanmar, particularly in Rakhine State, makes the prospect of safe and sustainable repatriation increasingly complicated. If conditions inside Rakhine do not allow refugees to return with adequate security and basic rights, simply sending people back would not constitute a genuine solution.

Unsafe repatriation is not a solution; it risks creating another cycle of displacement. For that reason, Bangladesh must continue to insist that any repatriation process be voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable. The international community also has a responsibility that goes beyond humanitarian fundraising.

From aid diplomacy to solution-oriented diplomacy

For years, international attention has focused heavily on humanitarian assistance. That support has been indispensable. But the international response cannot remain confined to raising funds to sustain refugee camps indefinitely. The objective must now be to build a credible international framework for a lasting political solution.

Bangladesh should intensify diplomatic engagement with the United Nations, regional organisations and countries capable of exercising political and economic influence over Myanmar. The major powers and regional actors must be encouraged to play a more active role in creating conditions for safe and sustainable repatriation.

Diplomatic discussions should move beyond general expressions of concern. There must be greater focus on practical questions: security guarantees, citizenship and legal rights, freedom of movement, access to essential services, property and livelihood rights, and international monitoring of the repatriation process. Without addressing these issues, repatriation risks becoming a numbers exercise rather than a durable solution.

Bangladesh cannot carry the burden indefinitely

Bangladesh has already carried a substantial humanitarian and economic burden. International support for refugees must therefore continue, but the burden on host communities must also receive greater attention. The people of Cox’s Bazar and surrounding areas should not feel that they have been forgotten while international attention remains focused exclusively on the refugee population.

Development assistance should therefore address both refugees and host communities. Infrastructure, healthcare, education, employment opportunities and environmental protection require sustained investment. This is not about placing refugees and local residents against each other. It is about recognising that long-term stability depends on supporting both communities.

The next generation is at stake

Perhaps the most serious long-term concern is the future of Rohingya children and young people. A generation is growing up in an environment defined by displacement and uncertainty. Without adequate education, skills and hope for a better future, prolonged marginalisation can create frustration and vulnerability to exploitation by criminal or armed groups.

Education and skills development must therefore remain central to the humanitarian response. Providing young Rohingya with opportunities is not simply an act of charity; it is also an investment in regional stability.

At the same time, Bangladesh must strengthen the security and governance of the camps without turning them into permanent detention-like environments. Humanitarian protection and security are not mutually exclusive. In fact, effective humanitarian management can itself reduce security risks.

Bangladesh needs a stronger diplomatic strategy

Bangladesh now needs to move beyond crisis management towards a more comprehensive diplomatic strategy. The country should pursue three objectives simultaneously: protecting the humanitarian rights of the Rohingya, safeguarding Bangladesh’s national security, and creating sustained international pressure for safe and dignified repatriation.

These objectives should not be treated as competing priorities. They are interconnected parts of the same solution. Bangladesh should also ensure that the Rohingya issue remains on the international agenda. Global attention tends to shift as new conflicts and crises emerge. But the absence of headlines does not mean the crisis has disappeared.

Diplomatic engagement must therefore be continuous, coordinated and evidence-based. Bangladesh has a strong moral and legal argument for seeking international support. But moral appeals alone are not enough. Dhaka needs a clear strategy, measurable diplomatic objectives and stronger coordination with countries that have influence over Myanmar.

Relief must continue—but it cannot be the destination

The international community should not mistake the relative stability of the refugee camps for resolution of the crisis. A camp can provide temporary shelter. It cannot replace a homeland. Humanitarian assistance can save lives. It cannot resolve statelessness. International funding can sustain basic services. It cannot guarantee a political settlement. That is why the international response must evolve from relief diplomacy to solution-oriented diplomacy.

Bangladesh should continue providing humanitarian protection, but it should also make clear that the country cannot be expected to carry the consequences of a crisis it did not create indefinitely. The Rohingya crisis has reached a point where humanitarian responsibility and national security must be addressed together. Ignoring either dimension would be a mistake.

Bangladesh needs stronger border security, better camp management and tougher action against criminal networks. But it also needs sustained international diplomacy aimed at changing the conditions that made mass displacement possible in the first place.

The ultimate solution lies not in making refugee camps more permanent, but in making return possible. The Rohingya crisis will not be solved by relief alone. It will be solved when diplomacy produces the conditions for a safe, voluntary and dignified return.

For Bangladesh, the message should now be clear: aid must continue, but the goal must be a solution. The Rohingya crisis cannot remain a permanent humanitarian burden when what is urgently needed is a lasting political and diplomatic settlement.

KATHMANDU — At least 22,000 children in Nepal urgently need safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene assistance more than a week after devastating flash floods swept through the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river basin, UNICEF said. The floods damaged water-supply systems across affected districts and destroyed or severely damaged toilets and other sanitation facilities, increasing the risk of waterborne and infectious disease outbreaks.

Families displaced by the disaster are also crowded into host households and temporary holding centres, making it increasingly difficult to maintain basic hygiene and access clean water.

“Every parent in these districts is now making the same calculation several times a day,” said Alice Akunga, UNICEF Representative in Nepal, referring to families’ urgent need to determine where they can obtain water and whether it is safe for their children.

UNICEF expands emergency response

UNICEF has already delivered water, sanitation and hygiene supplies for approximately 19,000 people in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, two of the districts hardest hit by the floods. The emergency supplies include more than 3,800 hygiene kits, 3,300 collapsible 10-litre jerrycans, 3,500 buckets, 3,500 one-litre mugs and 4,000 bottles of water-treatment solution. More than 1,000 tarpaulin sheets have also been distributed.

UNICEF teams are working with Nepalese authorities and humanitarian partners on disease surveillance, hygiene awareness and outbreak prevention as the risk of infectious diseases rises.

Schools also heavily affected

The floods have also disrupted children’s education. UNICEF estimates that at least 19 schools have been damaged, including eight that were completely destroyed and another eight that suffered partial destruction. More than 10,000 school-age children are in need of immediate psychosocial support and access to safe learning spaces.

The damage to water infrastructure, homes and schools has left thousands of families facing an uncertain recovery while emergency teams continue providing essential assistance. Humanitarian agencies say restoring access to clean water and sanitation is particularly urgent because prolonged displacement and overcrowded living conditions can accelerate the spread of disease.

The latest warning comes as Nepal continues to recover from one of its most destructive recent flood disasters, with communities across the affected river basin struggling to rebuild homes, infrastructure and essential services. UNICEF said it will continue working with the Nepalese government and partners to provide life-saving water, sanitation, hygiene and child-protection support to affected communities.