Spotlight: Ongoing Yemen crisis draws international concern

The ongoing Yemen crisis has triggered concerns of the international community as more countries evacuated their nationals from the conflict-torn nation and Arab states agreed on the formation of a joint military force to counter growing security threats.

China has sent a naval fleet to help evacuate its nationals from Yemen as the situation continues to deteriorate, the Ministry of National Defense announced Monday.

The People's Liberation Army Navy fleet, which had been carrying out escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters, was dispatched for the evacuation on Sunday, according to the ministry.

On Sunday night, a Pakistani plane moved 503 nationals out of Yemen.

Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said Sunday that evacuation would take place despite the bombing of the country's main international airport.

Saudi Arabia on Saturday evacuated 86 Arab and Western diplomats from Yemen, and the United Nations pulled its staff out of the country's capital Sanaa as well.

Yemen is currently suffering from political unrest and clashes between Houthi rebels and forces loyal to Yemeni President Abd-Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who has fled the country.

A Saudi-led coalition, which launched airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen as from Thursday, continued to rain bombs on key military targets on Sunday.

Military sources told Xinhua that the airstrikes targeted missile bases in al-Subaha area on Aser mountain in southwestern Sanaa, reserve forces camps on the mountains of Faj Attan, Aser, al-Sawad and Nokum, and the al-Dailamy air force base in northern Sanaa.

Sounds of warplanes could be heard across the capital while the Houthi fighters repelled fighter jets by intensified anti-aircraft artillery.

The Houthi-controlled Interior Ministry said in a statement on Sunday that air raids overnight Saturday on military targets in Sanaa killed four soldiers and injured 33 others.

The intensifying crisis also aroused concern of the Arab League (AL) members, who have agreed to establish a joint Arab military force.

"In response to the responsibility imposed by the grave challenges facing our Arab nation and threatening its resources, the Arab leaders have decided to approve the principle of forming an Arab military force," Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said in his closing speech of the 26th Arab Summit.

Sisi added that a high-level team is to be formed and supervised by the chiefs of staff of the participant states to study all necessary aspects for the establishment of the joint military force.

AL Secretary-General Nabil al-Araby said that the decision is "important and urgent" due to the ongoing unrest and threats facing the Arab world that require collective response.

Meanwhile, the AL members also called for immediate withdrawal of Houthi fighters from Sanaa that has been under their control since last September.

They also urged the Houthis to pull away from governmental institutions, and hand over their arms to legitimate authorities.

One of the reasons why Saudi Arabia and Arab countries spared no effort to hit the Houthis was to stop the rebels' rapid advance to the border and storm Saudi Arabia, and to blockade the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea, through which thousands of ships pass every year, analysts said. Endi