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Alarm over a security threat which prompted the shutdown of 22 embassies last week has forced U.S. and Britain officials to withdrawal personnel from Yemen.

Both the U.S. and Britain stepped up precautions in the capital of Sana “due to increased security concerns,” with Washington ordering nonemergency government personnel to leave and the Foreign Office in London withdrawing their diplomatic staff.

According to the Embassy of the United States, Yemen:

The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the high security threat level in Yemen due to terrorist activities and civil unrest. The Department urges U.S. citizens to defer travel to Yemen and those U.S. citizens currently living in Yemen to depart immediately.

U.S. citizens currently in Yemen should depart. As staff levels at the Embassy are restricted, our ability to assist U.S. citizens in an emergency and provide routine consular services remains limited and may be further constrained by the fluid security situation. This supersedes the Travel Warning for Yemen issued on July 16, 2013.

The message, which you can read here, came just a day after officials in Washington said the U.S. had intercepted communications in which the head of al-Qaeda ordered the leader of the group’s affiliate in Yemen to carry out an attack as early as this past Sunday.

We pray for the safety of all during this time of uncertainty.

SOURCE: NYT | US Embassy Yemen