157 Jordanians evacuated from Yemen by Sunday

AMMAN  — The government has so far evacuated 157 Jordanians from war-hit Yemen over the past couple of days, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The figure includes 12 Jordanians who were recently flown to Istanbul on board  Turkish Airways, and who were received by Jordan’s embassy officials in Ankara. 

"The ministry's operations room is in direct phone contact with 90 per cent of the remaining Jordanians in                  Yemen," Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said on Sunday.

The minister's remarks came during Sunday's Lower House session in response to MPs' questions on the conditions of Jordanians in Yemen.

Judeh said that the Jordanians were evacuated from Yemen by buses to Saudi Arabia’s Jazan region where they stayed in hotels awaiting their air transfer to Jordan.

“It was such a hectic journey from Yemen to Jazan as buses had to move through tough topography,” Judeh said.

On why not by air, Judeh cited the dysfunction of Yemen’s airports and the possible risks to civil planes.

Yemen airspace is now under full control of the Saudi-led coalition against the Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels. The coalition has declared Yemen airspace a “restricted zone” since it embarked on its Operation Storm of Resolve.

“Work is under way to evacuate all remaining Jordanians from Yemen,” Judeh said.

The number of Jordanians in Yemen amounts to 1,000, including some 350 students at Yemeni universities, the ministry’s spokesperson, Sabah Al Rafie, told The Jordan Times on Saturday.

She urged members of the Jordanian community in Yemen who did not contact the ministry to do so by calling the ministry on mobile number 00967733820073, and the ministry’s operations room at 0096265501444, or 0096265735166 in case of emergency.

In a recent statement, the ministry advised Jordanians not to travel to Yemen due to the current situation, urging Jordanian citizens in Yemen to exercise caution, take prudent security measures and stay away from danger zones.