Countries step up Yemen evacuations
Print Edition
Countries including China and Pakistan are stepping up efforts to evacuate their citizens from Yemen, as its humanitarian situation worsens.
A Pakistani aircraft will fly to the capital Sanaa on Sunday to rescue 170 people.
Two Russian Il-62 planes arrived in Moscow early yesterday carrying over 300 evacuees. About 70 of them are Russian citizens, while others come from Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Syria, Iraq and some other countries.
India on Saturday evacuated 439 of its nationals to a naval ship anchored off the coast. France, Sri Lanka and Algeria also carried out evacuation operations.
China has so far evacuated 571 Chinese nationals from Yemen in two batches, and a third mission was planned yesterday.
It has also helped evacuate 233 foreign nationals, most of whom were ferried out on Thursday in China’s first overseas evacuation operation for foreign nationals.
Flights from Egypt, Sudan and Djibouti are also scheduled, said the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Shia Houthi rebels.
The Red Cross has called for a 24-hour cease-fire to bring in medical supplies.
Saudi air strikes continued for an 11th night on Saturday, despite the plea from the agency. Fighting on the ground between the Houthis and forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi also intensified.
Russia, India and Indonesia are among the countries to have already carried out evacuations amid increasing international concern. Requests from other nations, including Canada, Germany and Iraq were also being processed, the coalition said.
Air strikes hit the capital Sanaa, causing explosions at bases housing army units loyal to the rebels.
The Houthis took control of the capital in September and continue to make gains in southern port of Aden, a stronghold of those loyal to President Hadi. He fled to Saudi Arabia last month.
Yesterday the rebels advanced further into the city, it was reported.
The Red Cross described the situation there as dire, with streets “strewn with dead bodies” and the wounded “streaming” into hospitals and clinics.
The Houthis have said their aim is to replace President Hadi’s government, which they accuse of being corrupt.
They are supported by troops loyal to the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was ousted in the Arab Spring protests.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
