Russia shuts embassy in Yemen on security concerns: Houthis

SANAA, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Russia has evacuated 18 diplomatic staff from Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa and shut its embassy due to the security situation in the country, a Houthi official told Xinhua on Wednesday.

Russian ambassador was among the evacuated staff who left Sanaa airport in a Russian aircraft on Tuesday morning, the official said on condition of anonymity.

The official of the rebel-controlled information ministry refused to provide further details.

Tensions have escalated in the capital Sanaa after Houthis killed their top ally former President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Dec. 4 after Saleh changed alliance and backed anti-Houthi military coalition led by Saudi Arabia.

Saleh and Houthis had aligned in fighting against the Saudi-led coalition since Saleh's loyalists backed Houthis in storming Sanaa in 2014 and forcing Saudi-backed president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his government into exile.

However, political stances have changed between the former allies, triggering a week-long deadly fighting in the streets of Sanaa between Houthi fighters and Saleh's armed supporters.

The week-long street clashes had killed 234 people, while 400 others were wounded, including 383 severely injured, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The clashes ended last week after Houthis killed Saleh, his relatives and senior leaders of his party.

Houthis completely controlled the capital after they defeated Saleh's forces and took over houses of Saleh and his military relatives.

On Saturday, Houthis announced they buried Saleh's corpse in a hidden place in Sanaa amid a limited presence of his relatives and members of the parliament.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition warplanes have since launched over dozens of airstrikes on positions of Houthis inside and outside Sanaa, targeting Houthi positions, according to local media. Enditem