Eight Sri Lankan safely evacuated from Yemen

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that three Sri Lankans have already Yemen and that another five are currently on their way to Djibouti via sea.  

The ministry said that the three Lankans had reached Djibouti on board an Indonesian boat.

China and India have agreed to assist in evacuating Sri Lankan nationals stranded in Yemen following requests made by the Government of Sri Lanka, considering the prevailing volatile situation in the Arab nation.

New Delhi has agreed to help Colombo rescue 67 Sri Lankans stranded in Yemen, officials said on Thursday.

Officials in Colombo said the evacuation of Sri Lankans would begin immediately after the completion of Indian nationals’ airlift.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ajith P. Perera, had last week instructed the Lankan High Commissioner in New Delhi and the embassy in Muscat, Oman, to liaise with India’s ministry of external affairs and the Indian embassies in Muscat and Sana’a to coordinate the evacuation process.

There are reportedly around 75-100 Sri Lankan expatriates, including students, in Yemen.

Due to the volatile situation in the country, Sri Lanka is making arrangements to evacuate all Sri Lankans in Yemen, who are principally residing in the capital Sanaa and other main cities, such as Hodeida, Aden and Mukalla.