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| British embassy in Yemen: Closure extended | British embassy in Yemen: Closure extended |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The closure of the British embassy in the Yemeni capital Sanaa has been extended until the end of the Muslim festival of Eid later this week, the Foreign Office says. | The closure of the British embassy in the Yemeni capital Sanaa has been extended until the end of the Muslim festival of Eid later this week, the Foreign Office says. |
| The mission was to reopen on Tuesday after a two-day shut down over fears of a terrorist attack during the festival. | The mission was to reopen on Tuesday after a two-day shut down over fears of a terrorist attack during the festival. |
| No exact date for its reopening has been given. | |
| The US said 19 of its embassies in north Africa and the Middle East would stay shut until Saturday. | The US said 19 of its embassies in north Africa and the Middle East would stay shut until Saturday. |
| US officials met in Washington on Saturday to review the threat of a terrorist attack that led to the Sunday closure of embassies and consulates and a global travel warning to Americans for August. | US officials met in Washington on Saturday to review the threat of a terrorist attack that led to the Sunday closure of embassies and consulates and a global travel warning to Americans for August. |
| A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "Due to continuing security concerns the British embassy in Yemen will remain closed until the end of Eid." | A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "Due to continuing security concerns the British embassy in Yemen will remain closed until the end of Eid." |
| Eid, which begins on Thursday, marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and UK officials had advised particular vigilance saying "tensions could be heightened". | |
| On its website, the Foreign Office is advising against all travel to Yemen and is strongly urging British nationals to leave. | On its website, the Foreign Office is advising against all travel to Yemen and is strongly urging British nationals to leave. |
| It says there is "a high threat from terrorism throughout Yemen" and "a very high threat of kidnap from armed tribes, criminals and terrorists". | It says there is "a high threat from terrorism throughout Yemen" and "a very high threat of kidnap from armed tribes, criminals and terrorists". |
| 'Abundance of caution' | 'Abundance of caution' |
| Several hundred Britons are thought to live in Yemen, with most working for the embassy, charities, UN organisations and oil companies. | Several hundred Britons are thought to live in Yemen, with most working for the embassy, charities, UN organisations and oil companies. |
| Unlike the US, the UK kept its embassies in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Iraq open over the weekend, but advised staff to "exercise extra vigilance". | Unlike the US, the UK kept its embassies in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Iraq open over the weekend, but advised staff to "exercise extra vigilance". |
| It has been suggested that al-Qaeda messages reportedly intercepted by the US were between senior figures talking about a plot against an embassy. | It has been suggested that al-Qaeda messages reportedly intercepted by the US were between senior figures talking about a plot against an embassy. |
| The State Department in Washington said the extended closures of its embassies were "out of an abundance of caution", and not a reaction to a new threat. | The State Department in Washington said the extended closures of its embassies were "out of an abundance of caution", and not a reaction to a new threat. |
| Its diplomatic posts in Abu Dhabi, Amman, Cairo, Riyadh, Dhahran, Jeddah, Doha, Dubai, Kuwait, Manama, Muscat, Sanaa and Tripoli and African missions in Antananarivo, Bujumbura, Djibouti, Khartoum, Kigali and Port Louis will remain closed until Saturday. | Its diplomatic posts in Abu Dhabi, Amman, Cairo, Riyadh, Dhahran, Jeddah, Doha, Dubai, Kuwait, Manama, Muscat, Sanaa and Tripoli and African missions in Antananarivo, Bujumbura, Djibouti, Khartoum, Kigali and Port Louis will remain closed until Saturday. |
| US diplomat missions in Algiers, Kabul and Baghdad are among those which will reopen on Monday. | US diplomat missions in Algiers, Kabul and Baghdad are among those which will reopen on Monday. |