(AFP File Photo)
A total of 525 Egyptians have been deported from Yemen since the start of the Saudi-led military operations against the Houthis, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Badr Abdelatty.
Abdelatty told Daily News Egypt Monday that the process of transporting Egyptians from Yemen is in progress, and the number of transported Egyptians has reached 525.
“We are working in very hard conditions, even harder than the situation we had in Libya,” Badr Abdelatty said to TEN TV satellite channel on Sunday.
He added that through communications with the Egyptian embassy in Saudi Arabia and the Egyptian Defence Ministry, the ministry promised to authorise for a civil plane to land in the Yemeni capital Sana’a. The plane that will be used to transport Egyptians will be issued within 48 hours. Abdelatty stated that there are 1,000 Egyptians looking to leave Yemen.
The end of the Saudi-led coalition’s airstrikes is needed to secure the plane’s flight, which can carry 150 passengers, in Yemeni airspace, Abdelatty said
Saudi Arabia, backed by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, launched airstrikes on Sana’a last week, which is currently under control of the Houthi Shi’a rebels.
According to an armed forces statement, Egypt will support the GCC countries’ decision. Egypt added it will participate in military operations “to restore stability and legitimacy in Yemen”, through returning Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to power.
Abdelatty said that Egyptian planes have been unable to fly in Yemeni airspace or land in Sana’a since the start of the operation, as Egypt is a member of the coalition.
He added that three countries that are not members of the coalition “agreed to help return Egyptians via their planes”.
