Britain to close Yemen embassy at weekend over security
Britain's embassy in the Yemeni capital
Sanaa will be shut this weekend after the
United States announced the temporary
closure of two dozen embassies over fears
of an Al-Qaeda attack, the Foreign Office
said Friday.
"The embassy will be closed on the 4th
and 5th of August," a ministry spokesman
said. "We have withdrawn a number of
staff from Sanaa, due to increased
security concerns."
He added: "We are particularly concerned
about the security situation in the final
days of Ramadan and into Eid."
The United States had issued a worldwide
alert on Friday warning of plans by Al-
Qaeda to launch an attack in the Middle
East or North Africa in August.
On Thursday, the US State Department
had announced that at least 22 US
embassies would close on Sunday as a
precaution.
The State Department said attacks were
possible "particularly in the Middle East
and North Africa, and possibly occurring
in or emanating from the Arabian
Peninsula."
The Foreign Office advises British
nationals against all travel to Yemen, and
strongly advises any remaining Britons to
leave the impoverished Arabian Peninsula
country.
"Our travel advice advises particular
vigilance during Ramadan, when tensions
could be heightened," the ministry
spokesman said.
