Russia closes Sana’a embassy, evacuates staff

Al Mukalla: Russia has closed its embassy in Sana’a and evacuated its diplomats from Al Houthi-held capital, government officials and local media reports said on Tuesday.

Yemen’s ministry of foreign affairs said on Twitter that Russia has relocated its diplomats from Sana’a to the Saudi capital Riyadh as the Iran-backed Al Houthis escalate their crackdown on figures loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was killed last week.

Quoting a government official, Al Masdar Online, an independent news site, reported on Tuesday that a Russian plane landed in the Yemeni capital to evacuate 18 diplomats who were working at the embassy.