US and UK pull staff out of Yemen amid terror alert

[Turborama]

Source: BBC

6 August 2013 Last updated at 16:21 GMT

The US and UK governments have withdrawn diplomatic staff from Yemen and urged their citizens to leave amid concerns over security threats.

It follows the sudden closure of 20 US embassies and consulates on Sunday.

This was prompted by intercepted conversations between two senior al-Qaeda figures, including top leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, US media said.

The Pentagon said the US Air Force was flying workers out of the capital, Sanaa, on Tuesday morning.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23585923

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Analysis

Adbullah Ghorab
BBC News, Sanaa

The Yemeni capital Sanaa is experiencing unprecedented security measures. The interior ministry has deployed hundreds of armoured military vehicles to secure the presidential palace, vital infrastructural buildings and Western embassies in the capital.

A security source confirmed to the BBC that Yemeni intelligence services had discovered that dozens of al-Qaeda members had arrived in Sanaa over the past few days in preparation for the implementation of a large plot. The source described the plot as dangerous and as including explosions and suicide attacks aimed at Western ambassadors and foreign embassies in Yemen, in addition to operations aimed at the Yemeni military headquarters.

A Yemeni military source said the interior ministry had prepared a plan, in co-ordination with the Yemeni intelligence organisations and the anti-terrorism forces, involving "a pre-emptive strike against certain cells suspected of having relations with al-Qaeda, with the aim of thwarting the attack plans".

The source revealed the intensive co-ordination and exchange of information that exists between the Yemeni intelligence forces and those of the West and the Gulf nations, regarding threats from al-Qaeda.