SANAA, February 10 (Sputnik) — The United States decided to close its embassy in Yemen over security concerns following a coup by the Houthi minority group, a diplomatic source in Sanaa told Sputnik news agency on Tuesday.
The US ambassador in Sanaa, Matthew Tueller, has been ordered to leave the country by Wednesday. The diplomatic mission will stay shut indefinitely, the source said.
The Russian embassy in Sanaa said earlier it will continue to work as usual, adding that security controls had been tightened almost two weeks ago.
The Houthis, who are the main opposition group in Yemen, first staged massive protests against tribal injustice on the part of the Yemeni government last August. They called for the resignation of the president and several officials.
Following months of increasingly violent clashes across Sanaa, Yemeni President Abd Mansour Hadi and the country's government resigned last January after the Houthis captured the presidential palace and government buildings.
On February 6, the Houthis dissolved the Yemeni parliament in the capital Sanaa and created a presidential council in a "constitutional declaration."
The UN Security Council has expressed grave concern about the Houthis' takeover in Yemen, calling on them to step back and re-engage in UN-led talks.
