(AFP PHOTO/MOHAMMED HUWAIS)
The foreign ministry spokesperson said Thursday night the Egyptian consulate in Jeddah “succeeded” in making it easier for Egyptians residing in Yemen to cross over to Saudi Arabia as they flee airstrikes.
Two groups of Egyptians in Yemen crossed over into Saudi Arabia, while the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided them with flights to Egypt.
Another ministry statement said that 365 Egyptians arrived in Riyadh and will make their way back to Egypt soon.
On 26 March, Saudi Arabia announced in Washington that it will being firing airstrikes on the Houthi rebels in Yemen after they overthrew what Saudi Arabia saw as the “legitimate” president, Abdurabbuh Mansour Hadi.
Many Egyptians inside Yemen claim that, because of the airstrikes, it is not easy for them to make their way to Saudi Arabia, according to media reports.
Since then Saudi Arabia, backed by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and ten countries, has militarily attacked several locations in the Yemeni Capital Sana’a.
Egypt announced last week that it politically and militarily backs Saudi Arabia in strikes against Yemen and that it will provide aerial and naval support. It added that it can also provide military support on-the-ground “if necessary”.
Both Egypt and Saudi Arabia claimed that the strikes were for the “security and stability” of Yemen and its people. Over the past week dozens of civilians have been killed.
According to UNICEF, more than 60 children have also been killed in the attacks.
