Russia removes diplomatic staff from Yemen citing security situation
Russia has halted its diplomatic presence in Yemen and its diplomats have left the country amid the deepening conflict between the government and Huthi rebels, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.
- World
- DPA
- Published Date: 12:00 | 12 December 2017
- Modified Date: 07:14 | 12 December 2017
All Russian diplomatic personnel have been removed from Yemen because of the deteriorating security situation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
The Russian ambassador and a portion of the diplomatic staff will perform their duties in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, based in the capital Riyadh, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in comments carried by state media.
Yemen has been the site of a power struggle between a Saudi-backed government and the Houthi rebels, who have controlled Sana'a since late 2014.
The Iran-backed rebels last week killed ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, their one-time ally, after he switched allegiances to the Saudi-led coalition.