Russia shuts its embassy in Yemen, evacuates diplomats

MOSCOW – Russia says it has temporarily shut its embassy in Yemen and evacuated all of its diplomats.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in Tuesday’s statement that the ambassador and other diplomats will fulfil their duties from the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Zakharova said the decision to close the embassy, in the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, was related to the security situation in the country, without elaborating.

A Saudi-led coalition has been at war with Iran-backed Shiite rebels known as Houthis, who control much of the north, since 2015. The stalemated war has killed 10,000 people, displaced 3 million and pushed the country to the brink of famine. Tensions have escalated recently after Houthis killed their top ally, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.