The United States will remove additional personnel from Yemen amid heightened security concerns after Shiite rebels forced the resignation of the country’s president.
“In response to the changing security situation in Yemen, the United States Embassy in Sana’a has further reduced its American personnel working in Yemen,” a senior State Department official said Thursday.
{mosads}“While the Embassy remains open and is continuing to operate, we may continue to re-align resources based on the situation on the ground,” the official continued. “We will continue to operate as normal, albeit with reduced staff. We are also continuously reassessing the situation on the ground based on our staffing needs.”
Earlier Thursday, the White House said it was “still assessing” the decision of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to resign. Rebels had surrounded his house, and have effectively seized the major government buildings and state media.
“We’re still assessing the implications for that announcement on Yemen’s political transition,” press secretary Josh Earnest said. “We continue to urge the parties to pursue a peaceful political transition led by Yemen’s legitimate political institutions.”
Earnest said the president was being regularly briefed on the security situation there.
“We’ll continue to monitor developments on the ground and if changes in that posture are necessary, we have all of the capabilities that are necessary to make those changes,” Earnest said.