# Taiz City Population Estimated at 600,000 Amid Escalating Conflict

> The International Organization for Migration estimates Taiz city's population at almost 600,000 in October 2026, as Houthi forces fully encircle the Yemeni city.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-17T13:13:10.959493Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/taiz-city-population-estimated-at-600-000-amid-escalating-conflict-fc4a8752

The population of Yemen's Taiz city is estimated at nearly 600,000 people as of October 2026, according to Katja Juric, the Aden-based Head of Programmes for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) [18][21][22][23]. This figure emerges as Houthi forces have fully encircled the city, escalating an already dire humanitarian situation [12][18][22].

The ongoing conflict and siege of Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, have trapped hundreds of thousands of civilians and severely hampered the delivery of humanitarian aid [6][7][8][18][20][22]. Understanding the current population count is vital for aid organizations and international bodies to assess the scale of the crisis and coordinate relief efforts amidst the fighting.

## What the records show
Katja Juric, the Head of Programmes for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) based in Aden, stated in October 2026 that Taiz city has an estimated population of almost 600,000 [18][21][22][23]. This assessment follows recent escalations in the conflict surrounding the city. While other historical data suggests Taiz had a population closer to 940,600 as of 2023, establishing it as Yemen's third-largest city, the IOM's 2026 estimate reflects the impact of the ongoing conflict [6][7][8]. Government sources reported that 80,000 people have fled in the latest fighting around Taiz [18][21][22][23].

## The conflict in Taiz
Taiz, located in southwestern Yemen, serves as the capital of the Taiz Governorate and lies at an elevation of approximately 1,400 meters [6][7]. The city has been a significant battleground between Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized government since the conflict began in early 2015 [18][22]. The civil war resumed this summer after a four-year truce [18][22]. By October 12, 2026, Houthi forces had fully encircled Taiz City, capturing key districts like al Misrakh and consolidating control in eastern Jabal Habashi District [12].

## Humanitarian concerns
The encirclement has created severe humanitarian challenges for the city's inhabitants. The cutting of the main road between Taiz city and al-Turbah on October 15, 2026, disrupted the movement of people and supplies, further isolating government positions [19]. The Yemeni government has issued warnings that the tightening siege on Taiz and surrounding areas could impact more than 4 million people [20]. The World Food Programme has also cautioned that escalating conflict has prevented life-saving aid from reaching an estimated 800,000 people, with most of these individuals located in Taiz, due to frontline movements, road closures, and increasing security risks [20]. Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed, Yemen's former prime minister and current adviser to the president, has publicly expressed concerns that a Houthi takeover of Taiz would be catastrophic, risking control of the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait and the road to Aden [2].

## What the subject has said publicly
Katja Juric, in her role as Aden-based Head of Programmes for the International Organization for Migration, confirmed the estimated population of almost 600,000 for Taiz city in October 2026 [18][21][22][23].

## What we could not confirm
The specific methodology IOM used to arrive at the 600,000 population estimate for October 2026 is not detailed in the available records. Further, the exact number of people who remain internally displaced within Taiz city or who have been displaced from the city and its immediate surrounding areas is not specified beyond the 80,000 reported by government sources [18][21][22][23]. The records do not contain further public statements from Katja Juric or the IOM regarding the implications of this population estimate for their specific humanitarian operations in Taiz.

## Evidence cited
1. Healthcare crisis escalating in Yemen’s besieged Taiz (www.aljazeera.com) — https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/10/17/healthcare-crisis-escalating-in-yemens-besieged-taiz?traffic_source=rss
2. Future of western security is at stake in Yemen civil war, says country’s former PM (www.theguardian.com) — https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/16/future-western-security-at-stake-yemen-civil-war-former-pm
3. Houthis encircle new target in conflict with Saudi-backed forces (www.ft.com) — https://www.ft.com/content/73329157-1277-42f5-802e-fc339415b5ce?syn-25a6b1a6=1
4. Can Yemen’s government forces sustain their offensive against the Houthis? (www.aljazeera.com) — https://www.aljazeera.com/news-analysis/2026/10/17/can-yemens-government-forces-sustain-their-offensive-against-the-houthis?traffic_source=rss
5. Yemen Cities by Population 2026 (worldpopulationreview.com) — https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/yemen-cities
6. Taiz - Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiz
7. Ta'izz (Town/city) • Mapy.com (mapy.com) — https://www.mapy.com/place/taizz-2067409
8. Taiz | Yemen, Population, Map, & History | Britannica (www.britannica.com) — https://www.britannica.com/place/Taizz
9. hamerintel.com — https://hamerintel.com/
10. acleddata.com — https://acleddata.com/
11. wikipedia.org — https://wikipedia.org/
12. criticalthreats.org — https://criticalthreats.org/
13. alhurra.com — https://alhurra.com/
14. lowyinstitute.org — https://lowyinstitute.org/
15. usembassy.gov — https://usembassy.gov/
16. pbs.org — https://pbs.org/
17. indiatimes.com — https://indiatimes.com/
18. wsau.com — https://wsau.com/
19. newlinesmag.com — https://newlinesmag.com/
20. newscord.org — https://newscord.org/
21. thearabweekly.com — https://thearabweekly.com/
22. investing.com — https://investing.com/
23. kfgo.com — https://kfgo.com/