In a step expected to deepen the Houthi isolation in Sana’a, Moscow on Tuesday suspended its diplomatic presence in the Yemeni capital, and moved its diplomatic corps to Riyadh, from where they will perform their functions.
"Given the situation in Sana’a, the decision was made to suspend the Russian diplomatic presence in Yemen. The personnel of the Russian Embassy have left the country," Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
An official source from the Coalition supporting legitimate leadership in Yemen said that it received an official request from Russia to allow a warplane transfer the embassy employees and nationals from Sana’a.
The Russian decision comes while two high-ranking members from the General People’s Congress were capable to escape from the militias’ hands.
Akram Attia, Deputy Head of the Yemeni Sana’a parliament escaped from Sana’a on Tuesday and moved to Aden where he joined the leaders of the party, now loyal to the legitimate government.
Also, a leader from the GPC party, Qassem al-Kassadi was also capable to escape from the militias and has arrived to his hometown in Al Bayda province.
Meanwhile, the German news agency (DPA) quoted Yemeni Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani as saying that four journalists from “Yemen Today” channel were killed after Houthi militias burst into the building of the channel, now loyal to Saleh.
Sources said that Houthi militias threaten the channel’s journalists and employees daily.
At the battlefield, spokesman of the Yemeni Army Brigadier Abdu Majli told Asharq Al-Awsat that around 20 leading Houthi officials were killed in confrontations mainly happening in the Tihamah district.
The list includes Maqboul al-Jarab Qahtan and seven of his bodyguards, in addition to Ali Hulayssi (Abu Malek), Nadi Qassem Haykal and Abdel-Rahman al-Dahno.
