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The US embassy in Yemen has suspended all consular services for two weeks, the mission said in a statement on its website, after four people were killed in violent anti-American protests in Sanaa.
The statement, published on Saturday, said the embassy will be “closed for all consular services through September 29”, warning citizens of the “potential” for protests near the mission.
An angry mob of protesters tried to storm the embassy grounds and clashed with security forces on Thursday, leaving four dead.
In response, the US ordered the deployment of a Marines anti-terrorism unit to Yemen to help protect the embassy, a move that was condemned by the Yemeni parliament.
The embassy also renewed an existing travel warning to Yemen and called on Americans in the country to leave. “The security threat to all US citizens in Yemen remains critical,” it said.
Yemenis yesterday ignored calls to protest the Marine deployment.
The planned demonstration in front of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s residence in the capital was cancelled by organisers, the Houthi rebel movement from the north, after people failed to show up, an AFP correspondent at the scene reported.
The Houthis are believed to have participated in Thursday’s violent protests.
Security around the embassy remained tight yesterday with all access roads to and from the heavily fortified compound blocked by security forces.