Citing a deteriorating security situation, the U.S. Embassy in Yemen is asking Americans to leave and has moved staffers out of the country.
“The level of instability and ongoing threats in Yemen remain extremely concerning,” a State Department travel warning said, noting terrorist activities and civil unrest.
There are no plans for a U.S. government-sponsored evacuation of American citizens at this time, the State Department said.
The State Department is also urging U.S. citizens to defer travel to Yemen.
The British government also announced the temporary suspension of embassy operations in Yemen on Wednesday.
“The security situation in Yemen has continued to deteriorate over recent days,” a British Foreign Office statement said. “Regrettably we now judge that our Embassy staff and premises are at increased risk.”
National unrest
Yemen has been in an extended period of turmoil and, before suspending operations on Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy had been operating on a skeletal staff since late January.
Houthi rebels have taken over the capital, Sanaa, and have announced a change in government.
Under the changes, the country’s top supervising authority will become the Houthi Revolutionary Committee. That committee will be charged with setting up a 551-member National Transition Council in place of Yemen’s parliament.
These changes follow last month’s resignations of President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi and other top officials after the Houthis moved in.
“Recent unilateral actions disrupted the political transition process in Yemen, creating the risk that renewed violence would threaten Yemenis and the diplomatic community in Sana’a,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said late Tuesday.
“The United States remains firmly committed to supporting all Yemenis who continue to work toward a peaceful, prosperous and unified Yemen,” she said. “We will explore options for a return to Sana’a when the situation on the ground improves.”