RIYADH — Foreign ministers of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries held an extraordinary meeting to discuss developments in Yemen. Heavy fighting between Shiite Houthi rebels and Sunni tribesmen in southern Yemen left 26 dead on Saturday as tens of thousands of people marched to protest the rebels' rule. Also on Saturday, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Arab Emirates became the latest countries to shut down embassy operations in Sanaa, announcing they were evacuating diplomats. Saudi Arabia, Italy, Germany, the United States, France and Britain have taken similar measures amid the growing political uncertainty, threatening international isolation for the country. The UAE foreign ministry said it has also evacuated all staff, following a similar move by Saudi Arabia. “This decision comes in light of the increasingly deteriorating political and security situation” and the “unfortunate events with the Houthis undermining legitimate authority in the country,” the UAE said in a statement carried by the official WAM news agency. Spain said it was temporarily suspending embassy activity in Yemen “in light of the current situation of insecurity and instability in Sanaa.” The embassy had advised all Spanish citizens to “temporarily” leave Yemen, the foreign ministry said. And the Turkish foreign ministry “strongly” advised Turks in Yemen to leave. Meanwhile, tens of thousands marched in protest against the Houthis on Saturday in the cities of Ibb, Taiz, Hodeida, Dhamar and the capital, Sanaa. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned that Yemen is falling apart and called for Western-backed President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who resigned last month in protest at growing unrest sparked by the Houthis, to be restored to power. — Agencies
