India Evacuates Over 260 Nationals, 170 Foreigners from Yemen

NEW DELHI (Sputnik) – India has evacuated more than 440 people from war-torn Yemen including citizens of 17 foreign states, Indian defense ministry said Sunday.

“There are 441 evacuees on board of ‘Mumbai’ warship: 240 men, 121 women and 80 children,” ministry’s spokesman Sitanshu Kar said on Twitter.

Kar added that the Indian vessel is evacuating 176 foreigners – the citizens of Yemen, Hungary, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Egypt, Canada, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Russia and several other countries.

According to Indian media, the evacuation on “Mumbai” warship in the city of Aden took place during the shelling, and local authorities prohibited the vessel to enter the port so the evacuees were brought on board of the “Mumbai” by smaller vessels.

According to Indian Ministry of External Affairs, India has already evacuated more than 1,800 people from Yemen. Another 4,000 Indian nationals may still be in the country.

Yemen is currently seeing clashes between the Houthi militant group and forces loyal to President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who has fled the country.

Last week, an international coalition lead by Saudi Arabia launched a military operation targeting Houthi positions in Yemen.

Other countries, including Russia, China, France and Algeria have been evacuating their citizens from Yemen due to security concerns. The United Nations has also pulled out its staff from Yemen.