Yemeni city buckles under surge of migrants seeking safety, work |
Once a picturesque Red Sea port, the city of Aden in government-controlled Yemen has been transformed by the massive influx of people fleeing war: electricity cuts are constant, running water scarce and the meagre public services badly overstretched.
The centuries-old city has become a haven for people seeking safety and work since Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa, forcing out the sitting government.
The displacement, which has more than doubled the city's population, has put a massive strain on water and electricity services, hitting both recent arrivals and longtime residents.
Meanwhile, the coastal city has attracted many of the thousands of African migrants who have landed on people-smuggling boats each month, hoping to reach the wealthy Gulf but instead getting stuck in the Arabian Peninsula's poorest country.
Mohammed Saeed al-Zaouri, Yemen's minister of social affairs and labour, told AFP that 755,000 registered and an untold number of unregistered people have arrived in Aden.
He put the city's current population at around 3.5 million, more than double the 1.5 million of 20 years ago.
"This number is beyond........