Indian nationals advised to leave Yemen

As Houthi militias have seized control of almost the entire Yemen and forced President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee his home in Aden, India has advised Indian nationals in Yemen to consider leaving the conflict-ridden country by the “earliest available commercial flight”.

“The Government of India had on January 21 issued an advisory to all Indian nationals in Yemen. We would like to reiterate that now. The security situation in Yemen is fragile with high possibility of major conflicts and disturbances,” Syed Akbaruddin, the spokesperson of India’s external affairs ministry (MEA), said in New Delhi on March 25.

“We therefore advise all the Indian nationals, who are resident in Yemen, to consider leaving Yemen on a voluntary basis by earliest available commercial flights.”

This is the third advisory India has issued this year for Indians residing in Yemen after the previous ones on January 19 and 21. The MEA believes that close to 3,500 Indian nationals still stuck there in the violence-torn country. The Indian government has been particularly concerned over the danger and potential exploitation of nurses going to work in these places.

According to latest reports, Shia Houthi rebels, backed by allied army units seized Yemen’s largest al-Anad air base March 25 from forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, and continued to advance towards the president’s stronghold in Aden. Hadi managed to escape house arrest by Houthi in Sana, and fled to Aden, the second largest city of Yemen. A Shia Houthi militant also claimed that the group has arrested Defence Minister Major Gen. Mahmoud al-Subaihi in Lahj province.

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