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Maldives gov't attempts to evacuate three students in war-torn Yemen

Xinhua, April 1, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Maldives government is attempting to evacuate three Maldivian students stranded in the capital of Yemen as the city is pounded by air strikes in an escalating conflict, local media reported on Wednesday.

The Maldives Foreign Ministry has said it is in contact with the three students in Sana'a, who are safe for now, and is attempting to evacuate them. "Our priority is to get them out as soon as possible. We are looking at all options,"additional secretary Liusha Zahir told local newspaper Minivan News.

Families of the three students alerted the ministry after air strikes in Sanaa this weekend.

However, evacuation is difficult as there are no direct flights from Yemen to the Maldives, the ministry said. The government is negotiating with international organizations and other countries to get the three out.

The Saudi Arabian navy on Sunday evacuated dozens of diplomats, while the UN pulled out its international staff.

The insurgency, led by Shia Houthi rebels, forced Yemeni President Abdabbauh Mansour Hadi to flee the country in February. A Saudi-led coalition has sent air and naval forces to the country. Endi