Britain asks its citizens to leave Yemen
April 1st, 2011 - 5:59 pm ICT by IANSLondon, April 1 (IANS) The British government has asked its nationals to leave Yemen ahead of the mass protests planned for Friday, fearing the agitation might turn violent.
Friday’s pro-democracy demonstrations are the latest in a series demanding that Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh stands down. He has agreed to resign by January 2012, but the opposition and protesters want him to leave immediately.
“In light of the rapid deterioration in the security situation in Yemen and likely protests on April 1, which might result in violent clashes, we strongly urge all British nationals to leave the country now while commercial airlines are still flying,” the Daily Express quoted a spokesman in the Britain’s Forein Office as saying.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Yemeni cities Wednesday.
Over 50 protesters died in the capital Sana’a earlier this month as the government soldiers opened fire. Demonstrations have grown since the protests pushing for the president’s resignation first erupted in January, the Daily Express reported.
Britain’s Foreign Office Thursday also warned people not to travel to Yemen.
President Saleh, who has been in power for 33 years, has been a key ally for Britain and the US in their anti-terror operations against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), who are based in Yemen.
- Al Qaeda providing free electricity in Yemen - May 03, 2012
- Yemen witnesses anti-Saleh protests, people seek his immediate departure - Apr 25, 2011
- Obama not pushing for Yemen president to go because of Al Qaeda threat: Experts - Mar 23, 2011
- Saleh to sacrifice 'blood and soul' to confront opponents - Apr 01, 2011
- Indians advised to leave Yemen (Lead) - May 27, 2011
- Yemen president to step down - Oct 08, 2011
- Yemen opposition insists Saleh quit, president digs in - Mar 22, 2011
- Indians advised to leave Yemen - May 27, 2011
- Bulgarian envoy to Yemen escapes abduction attempt - May 14, 2012
- US embassy in Yemen closes, citing Al Qaeda 'threats' - Jan 03, 2010
- Protests rattle major cities across Yemen - Apr 14, 2011
- Yemen to get over $3 billion Saudi Arabian aid - May 24, 2012
- Hadi elected as Yemen's new president - Feb 25, 2012
- When a British diplomat had a scare in Yemen - May 23, 2011
- Yemeni President Saleh says he will 'soon' return to his country - Aug 17, 2011
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