Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi fled his palace in the main southern city of Aden Wednesday, as Shi'ite Houthi rebels backed by army units continued their rapid advance toward the city.
Yemeni officials said unidentified warplanes targeted the presidential complex in Aden, with anti-aircraft batteries returning fire. They said Hadi was now at a safe location in the city.
"He is well and directing the southern and popular resistance in order to prevent the entrance of the militia forces into Aden," an aide to Hadi, Mohammed Meram, told the Reuters news service.
Aviation officials said the international airport in Aden suspended operations Wednesday due to the security situation in the city.
Earlier Wednesday, the rebels backed by army units seized a key airbase in southern Yemen after clashes with forces loyal to Hadi, according to military officials and residents. The Al-Anad base is about 60 kilometers north of Aden.
Meanwhile, Yemeni Foreign Minister Riad Yassin called for urgent Arab military intervention in his country to stop the advance of rebel forces. He made the plea ahead of the start of an Arab League summit in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh scheduled for this Saturday.
Al-Anad was an important intelligence site used by U.S. personnel in the drone campaign targeting militants from the Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The United States announced last Saturday that all of its remaining personnel had left the country because of the deteriorating security situation.
Hadi, who fled to Aden last month after escaping house arrest by the Houthis in the capital, Sana'a, has been trying to establish his internationally recognized government in Aden. He appealed to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to authorize a military intervention to halt the Houthi advance.
The Shi'ite Houthis are accused of being backed by majority Shi'ite Iran, which is itself a regional rival of mainly Sunni Saudi Arabia.
Yemen has sunk into violence and chaos since a popular uprising ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the longtime strongman, in 2012. (VOA)
Yemeni officials said unidentified warplanes targeted the presidential complex in Aden, with anti-aircraft batteries returning fire. They said Hadi was now at a safe location in the city.
"He is well and directing the southern and popular resistance in order to prevent the entrance of the militia forces into Aden," an aide to Hadi, Mohammed Meram, told the Reuters news service.
Aviation officials said the international airport in Aden suspended operations Wednesday due to the security situation in the city.
Earlier Wednesday, the rebels backed by army units seized a key airbase in southern Yemen after clashes with forces loyal to Hadi, according to military officials and residents. The Al-Anad base is about 60 kilometers north of Aden.
Meanwhile, Yemeni Foreign Minister Riad Yassin called for urgent Arab military intervention in his country to stop the advance of rebel forces. He made the plea ahead of the start of an Arab League summit in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh scheduled for this Saturday.
Al-Anad was an important intelligence site used by U.S. personnel in the drone campaign targeting militants from the Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The United States announced last Saturday that all of its remaining personnel had left the country because of the deteriorating security situation.
Hadi, who fled to Aden last month after escaping house arrest by the Houthis in the capital, Sana'a, has been trying to establish his internationally recognized government in Aden. He appealed to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to authorize a military intervention to halt the Houthi advance.
The Shi'ite Houthis are accused of being backed by majority Shi'ite Iran, which is itself a regional rival of mainly Sunni Saudi Arabia.
Yemen has sunk into violence and chaos since a popular uprising ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the longtime strongman, in 2012. (VOA)
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