Pakistan said on Saturday that it has evacuated 11 Indians along with 148 Pakistani citizens from strife-torn Yemen’s southeastern city of Mokallah, which is now almost entirely under the control of al-Qaeda militants.
The Pakistan Naval Ship PNS Aslat has left for Pakistan after successfully evacuating 148 citizens and 35 foreigners, including 11 Indians, from Mokallah, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said.
The PNS Aslat, despatched earlier, arrived in Mokallah on Friday. The roads leading to the port had been closed.
“Therefore, through a discreetly planned exercise, the operation was switched to nearby Ash Shihr port and 148 Pakistanis have been safely evacuated, earlier today,” a statement from Pakistan’s foreign office said.
“35 other foreign nationals also requiring emergency evacuation are on board. These include 8 Chinese, 11 Indians and 4 British citizens. The ship will arrive in Karachi on April 7,” the statement said.
Mokallah, the capital of Yemen’s south-eastern Hadramawt province, was now almost entirely under control of terrorists of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), after they stormed a jail and freed 300 inmates a few days ago.
