August 6, 2013

The U.S. Department of State today told American citizens and non-emergency government staff to leave Yemen “immediately.” The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that it is flying embassy staff out of Sanaa, the Yemeni capital. In London, the British Foreign Office has ordered its embassy staff withdrawn from Yemen and issued a travel advisory. Interpol, the international policing organization, has issued a separate global security alert, noting that “hundreds of terrorists” have in the past month been freed in prison breaks in Iraq, Libya, and Pakistan.

U.S. government officials confirmed yesterday that electronic communications were  intercepted in which al-Qa’ida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri ordered the head of the al-Qa’ida affiliate in Yemen to carry out a major attack. Zawahiri succeeded Osama bin Laden as the head of al-Qa’ida.

In Sanaa, hundreds of armored vehicles surround the presidential palace, military headquarters, and Western embassies. According to a BBC security source, Yemeni intelligence services have disclosed that dozens of al-Qa’ida militants are known to have entered Sanaa in recent days, presumably to carry out of a major attack on Western embassies and Yemen’s military headquarters.

Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, is enclosed by a wall. Traffic enters and leaves through one of eight gates. (A. Tessore, Shostal)

On August 2, the State Department closed a number of embassies and consulates in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. The closing were in response to an al-Qa’ida threat “emanating from the Arabian Peninsula.” The State Department also ordered a worldwide travel alert for the entire month of August, particularly significant in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.

Additional World Book articles:

• Diplomacy
• September 11 terrorist attacks
• The Middle East: From Fall to Spring (a special report)