Indian Embassy in Yemen to Remain Open Until Evacuation Complete

Indian Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, will not be closed down while evacuation is going on, according to a source at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.

NEW DELHI (Sputnik) — India will not close their embassy in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa until the evacuation of Indian nationals from the war-torn country is completed, a source at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs told Sputnik Monday.

On Sunday, a group of at least 60 Indians were reported to have asked Indian authorities to help them leave the country after the Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes on Sanaa last Wednesday.

"Indian Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, will not be closed down [while] evacuation is going on. In previous cases, such as in Libya and Syria, we didn't close down our embassy, so it's unlikely that India will close its embassy in Yemen," the source said.

The statement was later confirmed by the Ministry's spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin who said it was not "our practice to close the embassy" while an evacuation is still underway.

A number of other countries, including the United States, Saudi Arabia and China, as well as the United Nations, have been evacuating citizens and staff from Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition of 10 countries conducting airstrikes on the positions of Houthi militants in Yemen. The airstrikes started on Wednesday upon the request from ousted Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who has fled the country amid hostilities.

The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan, Pakistan and Egypt form the coalition, alongside Saudi Arabia, with the United States providing intelligence, targeting and logistical support.