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ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni security authorities on Monday declared that new batches of African migrants are still arriving in the war-ravaged Arab country amid harsh living conditions.

An official of Aden's security command told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that "large numbers of the African migrants, mostly from Ethiopia, are still arriving sporadically in the country's southern provinces."

"The flocking of African migrants is still increasing as they easily enter Yemen through many illegal ways and with smugglers' support," the source said.

He noted that "most of the migrants face harsh living conditions after their arrival in the Yemeni areas affected by years-long conflict."

Last month, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased barriers to movement, and migrants are stranded with limited access to basic services and food.

Since October, IOM has registered over 2,600 migrants stranded in the country's southern port city of Aden who wish to return home urgently.

Before COVID-19 borders restrictions, migrants travelled through Yemen to reach other Gulf countries, said the IOM, adding that there are 14,500 migrants, mostly from Ethiopia, stranded across the country in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.

Yemen has been plagued in a civil war between the government forces and Houthi rebels since late 2014, which has killed tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, in the impoverished Arab country.

The grinding war has pushed over 20 million Yemeni people to the verge of starvation. Enditem