Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Dec. 13

ISTANBUL -- A summit of Islamic countries held in Istanbul on Wednesday declared East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine to counter a U.S. decision in favor of Israel.

The summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also invited all countries in the world to "recognize the State of Palestine and East Jerusalem as its occupied capital," said the draft final communique unveiled at the conclusion of the one-day meeting. (Turkey-East Jerusalem)

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SANAA -- Death toll from Saudi-led coalition airstrikes on a prison inside a police camp in Yemen's capital Sanaa on Wednesday increased to 31 prisoners and 59 others were wounded, Houthis-controlled state Saba news agency reported.

Earlier the day, Saba cited a security official as saying: "the Saudi-led coalition warplanes launched seven airstrikes on the prison building inside the police camp in downtown Sanaa early Wednesday morning, killing 12 prisoners and injuring 80 others." (Yemen-Saudi-Airstrike)

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DAMASCUS -- The Syrian government forces recaptured several building blocks that had fallen to the Islamic State (IS) earlier on Wednesday in a southern Damascus' neighborhood, a military source told Xinhua.

Following hours of counter-offensives, the Syrian forces succeeded to retake 12 buildings the IS militants took in a surprise attack on the Tadamun neighborhood, the military source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. (Syria-IS)

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SANAA -- 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. (Yemen-Russia) Enditem