US, British embassies in Yemen shut over Al Qaeda threat

SANA’A - The US and British embassies in the Yemen capital Sana’a were closed Sunday amid terrorism threats threats from the regional branch of Al Qaeda, a Yemeni security source said.

The source, who asked not to be named, said the two embassies had received intelligence about potential attacks.

“They informed Yemeni authorities that they had received intelligence tip-offs about possible attacks,” the source told the German Press Agency dpa.

The US embassy said in a so-called warden message posted on its website that is has closed “in response to ongoing threats by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to attack American interests in Yemen.”

It did not say when it would reopen and officials could not be reached for comment. A local employee of the embassy said local and American embassy staff members were asked to stay away for the day.

Hours after the US embassy closed, the British embassy also closed “for security reasons”, the BBC reported, citing Britain’s Foreign Office in London.

Armoured police vehicles were seen patrolling streets surrounding the two embassies in the Sheraton neighbourhood.

The closures came a day after General David Petraeus, the US commander in the Middle East, met with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.