Yemen cracks down on migrant smuggling after boat disaster kills over 90 Ethiopians

Aden (Yemen), Aug 14 (IANS) Yemeni authorities have announced a crackdown on smuggling networks moving African migrants through the country, after more than 90 Ethiopian migrants died when a boat capsized off southern Abyan province earlier this month.

Abyan police said in a statement on Wednesday that they would take "strict measures against anyone proven to be involved in transporting or smuggling refugees and illegal immigrants of African nationality."

Under the new measures, security forces will seize vehicles, boats, and other means of transport used in smuggling operations. Authorities also urged the public to cooperate with security services by reporting suspected smugglers or gatherings of undocumented migrants.

The boat tragedy off Abyan's coast left 92 people confirmed dead, with others still missing, reports Xinhua news agency.

Abdul Qader Bajamil, director of the health office in Abyan, confirmed that the death toll reached 92. "These were all migrants who drowned while trying to enter the country illegally by sea."

He said the bodies were recovered from multiple coastal areas in Abyan. "We are still searching for more victims who might have been washed away or are trapped underwater," he added.

The International Organization for Migration has warned that such incidents are likely to continue as vulnerable migrants risk dangerous journeys along the Eastern Route, which runs from the Horn of Africa to Yemen and on to Gulf states.

Despite its own humanitarian crisis driven by years of conflict, Yemen remains a key transit point for migrants seeking work in the Gulf.

--IANS

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