Britain withdraws embassy staff from Yemen over security concerns

Britain has withdrawn its diplomatic staff and temporarily suspended the operations of the British Embassy in Yemen, British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) announced Wednesday.

British ambassador to Yemen and diplomatic staff have left Yemen on Wednesday morning and will return to Britain, British Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood said.

Ellwood said the diplomatic personnel were withdrawn from the British Embassy in Sana'a on security grounds.

"The security situation in Yemen has continued to deteriorate over recent days. Regrettably we now judge that our Embassy staff and premises are at increased risk," he said.

He also urged British Nationals in Yemen to leave the country immediately.

"We continue to believe that a stable, united, democratic and prosperous Yemen is the best future for the country," the minister added.

Britain will continue to work internationally to help Yemen achieve "a legitimate, transparent political transition in which all Yemenis are represented," said the minister.

On Friday, Yemen's Shiite Houthi group announced its unilateral move to dissolve the parliament and form a presidential council to take over power after the country's president and premier resigned last month.

The Shiite Houthi group, also known as Ansarullah and based in the far northern province of Saada, has been expanding its influence southward after signing a UN-sponsored peace and power-sharing deal on Sept. 21, 2014 following week-long deadly clashes. Endit