Foreign ministry working to free 49 Egyptians detained in Yemen

Monday 05-12-2016 PM 05:51
Foreign ministry working to free 49 Egyptians detained in Yemen

Houthi fighters in Yemen (Reuters)

CAIRO, Dec 5 (Aswat Masriya) - Egypt’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday it's working to free 49 Egyptian nationals detained in Al Hudaydah, Yemen.

The detainees, all of whom worked in Yemen, were reportedly detained last week in Al Hudaydah's governorate, which is currently controlled by Houthi rebels.

Egypt's foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abou Zeid said that Egypt's ambassador in Yemen is following up with authorities to ensure the quick release of the detained citizens. 

The statement added that the detainees were expected to be released on Saturday, but the situation witnessed some complications due to the media's circulation of inaccurate information regarding the situation of the detainees.

Yemen has been immersed in an armed conflict since 2014 when Shiite rebels, Houthis, seized the capital Sanaa and overthrew the government. 

In March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition that included Egypt, launched military operations against the Iran-backed Shi'ite Houthi fighters in Yemen as the rebel movement made advances onto the Yemeni south.

Designed and Developed by Whalesys