Yemen’s Army vehicles driving in an area taken from al-Qaeda militants in Mayfaa, southeastern province of Shabwa, yesterday. Photo: ReutersWestern embassies in Yemen heightened security measures yesterday after increasingly bold attacks on foreigners by al-Qaeda, even as the militant Islamists lost ground to an army offensive in the south.
The government’s offensive is the most concerted campaign against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) – seen by Washington as one of the group’s most lethal wings – in nearly two years. The group has been blamed for deadly attacks against security forces, foreigners and oil and gas facilities.
Yemen has said its forces captured Azzan, the last major militant bastion they have been targeting in an offensive that began 10 days ago. Washington is keen to prevent any spillover of violence into neighbouring oil power Saudi Arabia and to stop Yemen being used as a springboard to attack Western targets.
The EU said yesterday it had limited its presence in Yemen to essential staff, while France ordered its diplomats to restrict their movement. On Wednesday, the US announced a suspension of operations at its embassy.
The security conditions in Sanaa are extremely worrying and unpredictable
“Like other diplomatic and international actors in Sanaa, we are limiting the presence to essential staff and reviewing our security measures,” said Michael Mann, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief, Lady Catherine Ashton.
A spokeswoman for France’s Foreign Ministry said its security alertness in Yemen was at maximum level but said the embassy remained open.
On Monday, a French security agent was killed in Sanaa.
Britain’s Foreign Office issued a new travel alert yesterday, advising against all travel to Yemen and strongly urging British nationals to leave the Arabian Peninsula state.
The International Committee for the Red Cross, whose staff have been kidnapped and shot in recent years in Yemen, said it was reducing its exposure in Sanaa, where it described the security conditions as “extremely worrying, unpredictable”.
“There are no private movements within the country except when people go to the airport for their [breaks],” Robert Mardini, head of ICRC operations for the Near and Middle East, said in Geneva.