UK and Germany to shut Yemen embassies

[EC]

Via al Jazeera: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/08/20138393159781749.html

Britain and Germany have joined the US and said they will close their embassies in Yemen on Sunday and Monday for security reasons.

The European countries' commitment to closures on Saturday followed a US decision to temporarily close two dozen embassies in Arab and other countries over fears of an al-Qaeda attack.

In London, the Foreign Office said that a number of staff at the British embassy had been withdrawn from Sanaa, particularly because of increased concerns in "the final days of Ramadan and into Eid".

In its statement, Germany warned its citizens travelling to the country that "the situation in the entire country is uncertain in the future".

At least one person died and six others were wounded in clashes on Friday between soldiers once loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's toppled president, and a rival army faction in Sanaa, police and medical sources said.

The threat of al-Qaeda is very strong right now

- Hakim Almasmari, Yemen Post editor,

The friction added to rising tension in Yemen, which is increasing because of renewed drone attacks and security concerns.

Hakim Almasmari, editor of the Yemen Post, told Al Jazeera that the country is at its most tense level in a year.

"[This is] mostly due to the lack of security presence in the government and because of drone strikes taking place this week," he said.

At least three have struck Yemen in the past seven days, killing 13 people - among them civilians, he said.

Before the latest round of drone attacks, the last one was in the middle of May.

"The timing of the strikes was very unfortunate" further compounding the impact on Yemeni people, Almasmari said, because they fell in the month of Ramadan and as President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was on a trip to the US.

"The threat of al-Qaeda is very strong right now," he said.

The weekend in Yemen is Friday and Saturday.

So - credible threat.

[alicewonders]

Won't this just get Al Qaeda to postpone their attacks? 

[Allegra]

Won't this just get Al Qaeda to postpone their attacks?

Exactly.  The stupid media screeching hysterically about this every half an hour increases the danger for all of us Americans in this region.

[alicewonders]

Prayers for your safety Allegra, and for all of our people abroad.  The Middle East cauldron is boiling over right now. 

 

[Allegra]

Prayers for your safety Allegra, and for all of our people abroad.  The Middle East cauldron is boiling over right now. 

 

Thank you so much.  I'm due to get out in a few days and am praying that none of this craziness mucks up my departure.

Also praying for my military " family" I will be leaving behind.

We go on full lockdown tonight.   

[EC]

Thank you so much.  I'm due to get out in a few days and am praying that none of this craziness mucks up my departure.

Also praying for my military " family" I will be leaving behind.

We go on full lockdown tonight.   

Oh - that bad, eh? Don't answer that, I know you can't. 

Add in my prayers for both you and your family there. They really are, aren't they.
Looking forward to you getting safely home.

[EC]

CNN Newsroom ‏@CNNnewsroom 4m

The #French Embassy in #Yemen is closed Sunday and Monday due to information received regarding a possible threat.

[happyg]

Thank you so much.  I'm due to get out in a few days and am praying that none of this craziness mucks up my departure.

Also praying for my military " family" I will be leaving behind.

We go on full lockdown tonight.   

Prayers from here, too. I hope for the best, as you, and many more, plan for the worst.

[Rapunzel]

Prayers for a safe return stateside, Allegra...