As the international community calls for accountability and investigation into this incident, the survivors await answers, further amplifying the humanitarian crisis facing migrants.
The following map illustrates key migration routes from Ethiopia to Yemen.
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When multiple 250-pound bombs struck the migrant detention center on April 28, Ms. Fanta was buried under debris. Initially, he thought he had escaped injury, but the reality was far grimmer, as he later discovered he was one of the luckier survivors. Tragically, at least ten others nearby perished, and many suffered grievous injuries, some with limbs severely mutilated. "The place and everyone in it were mangled," recounted Mr. Fanta, who suffered two broken legs and an arm. Still shaken, he asked, "I don’t know why America bombed us."
The detention facility hosted over 100 migrants, including many fleeing violence and hardship in Ethiopia, particularly from the Tigray region. Since the conflict escalated in 2020, countless people have made perilous journeys through dangerous smuggling routes in hopes of reaching safety.
According to the UN, over 60,000 migrants arrived in Yemen from the Horn of Africa in 2024 alone, highlighting the crisis and the urgency for humanitarian assistance and protection. Many migrants aim to reach Saudi Arabia, but face horrific challenges, as demonstrated by the bombing incident that has left survivors grappling with both physical and psychological scars.
As calls for accountability grow louder, the attack underscores the complexities of international involvement in regional conflicts and their direct consequences on vulnerable populations.
The following map illustrates key migration routes from Ethiopia to Yemen.
---
When multiple 250-pound bombs struck the migrant detention center on April 28, Ms. Fanta was buried under debris. Initially, he thought he had escaped injury, but the reality was far grimmer, as he later discovered he was one of the luckier survivors. Tragically, at least ten others nearby perished, and many suffered grievous injuries, some with limbs severely mutilated. "The place and everyone in it were mangled," recounted Mr. Fanta, who suffered two broken legs and an arm. Still shaken, he asked, "I don’t know why America bombed us."
The detention facility hosted over 100 migrants, including many fleeing violence and hardship in Ethiopia, particularly from the Tigray region. Since the conflict escalated in 2020, countless people have made perilous journeys through dangerous smuggling routes in hopes of reaching safety.
According to the UN, over 60,000 migrants arrived in Yemen from the Horn of Africa in 2024 alone, highlighting the crisis and the urgency for humanitarian assistance and protection. Many migrants aim to reach Saudi Arabia, but face horrific challenges, as demonstrated by the bombing incident that has left survivors grappling with both physical and psychological scars.
As calls for accountability grow louder, the attack underscores the complexities of international involvement in regional conflicts and their direct consequences on vulnerable populations.
