Aden – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has documented 4,828 cases of missing persons in Yemen since 2014, underscoring the devastating human toll of the country’s prolonged conflict and humanitarian crisis.

In a statement marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the ICRC revealed that thousands of families remain in anguish, uncertain of the fate of their loved ones. The organization emphasized that these figures represent only a fraction of the true scale of the tragedy, as many cases go unreported due to fear, stigma, or lack of access to support services.

“The pain of not knowing is unbearable,” said Pierre Krähenbühl, Director-General of the ICRC. “Behind every number is a family torn apart, a life suspended in uncertainty. Yemen’s missing persons crisis is a silent emergency that demands urgent attention.”

The ICRC has been working in Yemen since 1962, and its efforts have intensified since the outbreak of war in 2015. Through its Family Links program, the organization helps reconnect separated relatives, facilitates communication between detainees and their families, and advocates for the humane treatment of all persons deprived of liberty.

Human rights groups and local organizations have repeatedly called on all parties to the conflict to disclose the whereabouts of the missing, allow access to detention facilities, and uphold international humanitarian law. The ICRC reiterated that states and armed actors bear the primary responsibility to prevent disappearances and provide answers to affected families.

As Yemen continues to grapple with violence, displacement, and economic collapse, the plight of the missing remains one of the most painful legacies of the war.