DHAKA: British diplomatic staff in Yemen have been withdrawn and the embassy closed due the security situation in the country.

The Foreign Office has said, reports the BBC.

Embassy staff and its premises are at ‘increased risk’ and all Britons who remain in Yemen should leave immediately, it said.

The US has also shut down its embassy in Yemen and evacuated its staff.

It comes as Shia Houthi rebels have taken over large parts of the country and crisis talks broke down this week.

‘The security situation in Yemen has continued to deteriorate over recent days,’ Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood said.

‘Regrettably we now judge that our Embassy staff and premises are at increased risk.’

‘We have therefore decided to withdraw diplomatic staff and temporarily suspend the operations of the British Embassy in Sana’a. Our Ambassador and diplomatic staff have left Yemen this morning and will return to the UK.’

BDST: 1138 HRS, FEB 11, 2015