The Tigray Interim Administration Youth Affairs Bureau has issued an urgent appeal to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, stating that Ethiopian refugees in Yemen are in a “worrying and worsening humanitarian crisis.”

In a letter sent to the two institutions, the office stated that hundreds of thousands of refugees, including many Tigray youth, are in a life-threatening situation, and that it wrote the letter “out of urgency and great concern.”

The letter noted that many of the migrants had embarked on dangerous journeys in search of better opportunities, and now found themselves in "extreme danger."

According to the office, refugees in Yemen are being subjected to forced repatriation, threats of violence, detention, and “dangerous forms of punishment” that violate their human dignity and basic human rights.

The letter noted that young women and children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and violence.

The office therefore urges the International Organization for Migration and the Ethiopian Red Cross to take urgent action, to ensure the physical safety of the refugees and to facilitate their dignified return to their country.

The Tigray Interim Administration has confirmed its readiness to work closely with humanitarian partners to receive and support the returnees upon their arrival in Ethiopia.