US tells citizens to avoid Yemen

WASHINGTON (AP):

The State Department yesterday advised Americans not to travel to Yemen and said United States (US) citizens currently in the country should consider leaving.

The travel warning also said the department has authorised family members of US embassy staff and non-essential personnel to leave the country.

The advisory cited terrorism and civil unrest in the impoverished Arab nation and said in the event of a crisis, evacuation options would be severely limited due to "the lack of infrastructure, geographic constraints, and other security concerns".

The State Department said the threat level in Yemen, where demonstrators are calling on the country's besieged president to leave office, is "extremely high".

"Piracy in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean is also a security threat to maritime activities in the region. Terrorist organisations continue to be active in Yemen, including Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula," the travel warning said.

The State Department said the US government remained concerned about possible attacks against American citizens, facilities, businesses, and perceived US and Western interests.

On Sunday, suspected al-Qaeda fighters ambushed and killed four Yemeni soldiers who were distributing food to other troops manning checkpoints in a remote, mountainous region of the country.