When Jamal, an Ethiopian man in his early thirties, set out along what has become known as the eastern route, he was not chasing work, wealth, or status. He was looking for his sixteen-year-old nephew, who had vanished while attempting to reach Saudi Arabia through one of the world's most dangerous migration corridors. Each year, tens of thousands of Ethiopians travel this route, crossing arid stretches of Ethiopia and Djibouti, the Gulf of Aden, and war-torn Yemen. According to the International Organization for Migration ( IOM ), the eastern route has become increasingly violent, marked by kidnappings, extortion, and systematic abuse. After months in Yemen, surviving by washing cars to earn enough money to leave, Jamal eventually reached Djibouti.

Source: Ethiopian News March 27, 2026 17:33 UTC