US embassy in Yemen closes, citing Al Qaeda ‘threats’
January 3rd, 2010 - 4:45 pm ICT by IANS ( Leave a comment )
Sana’a (Yemen), Jan 3 (DPA) The US embassy in Sana’a was closed Sunday because of “threats” from Al Qaeda, according to a note on its website.
“The US embassy in Sana’a is closed today, January 3, 2010, in response to ongoing threats by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to attack American interests in Yemen,” the embassy said.
It did not say when it would reopen and officials could not be reached for comment.
AQAP has taken responsibility for the attempt to blow up a plane over Detroit on Christmas Day and US President Barack Obama has also placed the blame on the group.
The announcement from the embassy came a day after General David Petraeus, the US commander in the Middle East, met with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
US aid to Yemen is on the rise, as Washington wants Sana’a to step up its anti-terror operations against Al Qaeda bases in the country’s south. Military assistance is now estimated at $70 million and could go up further.
A proposed new Yemeni counterterrorism unit would be paid for jointly by the US and Britain, London announced. The British capital will also host a conference on terrorism in Yemen later this month.
- US asks Yemeni president to hand over power - Jul 11, 2011
- US, British embassies in Yemen shut over Al Qaeda threat - Jan 04, 2010
- Obama not pushing for Yemen president to go because of Al Qaeda threat: Experts - Mar 23, 2011
- 'Toppling of Yemen regime will aid Al-Qaeda increase terror plotting against US' - Apr 05, 2011
- Britain asks its citizens to leave Yemen - Apr 01, 2011
- Al Qaeda kills six cops in Yemen - May 14, 2011
- Embassies in Yemen reopen after closures over threats (Lead) - Jan 05, 2010
- US, British embassies in Yemen still closed over terror threats (Lead) - Jan 04, 2010
- Yemen offered US 'open door' to attack Al Qaida: WikiLeaks - Dec 04, 2010
- US, France, Middle East concerned over Yemen becoming al-Qaeda base: Wikileaks - Apr 10, 2011
- U.S. State Department designates al-Qaeda operative Othman Al-Ghamdi - Jun 17, 2011
- Yemen bomb went on two passenger jets: Qatar Airways (Lead) - Oct 31, 2010
- Seven Al Qaeda men killed in Yemen - Aug 23, 2010
- CIA warns al-Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen "urgent threat to U.S. security" - Aug 25, 2010
- Clinton calls Yemen situation threat to global security - Jan 05, 2010
Tags: al qaeda, al qaeda in the arabian peninsula, ali abdullah saleh, american interests, aqap, barack obama, britain london, christmas, christmas day, counterterrorism unit, david petraeus, general david petraeus, middle east, military assistance, s south, terror, terrorism, us commander, yemen, yemeni president
