Egypt Closes Embassy in Yemen

SANA’A (PRESS TV) – Egypt has closed its embassy in Yemen and evacuated its ambassador as well as all the diplomatic staff over what it termed as “deteriorating security situation” in the impoverished Arab state.

Date: 23 February 2015 - 21:14

News ID: ۱۱۳۰۷

"The Egyptian diplomatic mission in Sana’a headed by Ambassador Youssef al-Sharqawi returned to Cairo on Monday due to the bad security situation in Yemen,” Egypt’s official MENA news agency reported.
"The Egyptian embassy in Sana’a was closed after the departure of the mission,” it added.
Egypt is not the first country to shut its embassy in Sana’a.
On February 16, Turkey also closed its embassy in the Yemeni capital and suspended its diplomatic activities there.
"We hope that the authority of the state is reestablished in Yemen so that we can resume our diplomatic services in this friendly state,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, Japan had said it was temporarily closing its embassy for fears of worsening violence.
The Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on February 14 the closure of the United Arab Emirates diplomatic mission in Yemen due to what it claimed to be the increasing deterioration of the political and security situation in the country.
In a separate development on the same say, Spain announced that it had suspended operations at its mission in Sana’a.
The Italian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on February 13, saying the country’s ambassador and embassy staff are returning home from the embassy in Yemen.
The ministry further expressed hope that through the mediation of the UN special envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, security would be restored to Yemen in order to pave the way for the reopening of its embassy in Sana’a.