Bahrain’s national carrier has suspended flights to Sana'a, in Yemen, from today (March 26) due to safety concerns.

Gulf Air announced the decision was taken as a precaution, after Yemen's President AbdRabbu Mansour Hadi was taken to a ‘secure location’ yesterday as rebel forces bore down on his southern stronghold and a warplane attacked his presidential complex, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The escalating turmoil has stoked fears that Yemen is teetering on the brink of an all-out civil war after Houthi rebels launched a power takeover in Sana'a in February.

Security

"The national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain can confirm the suspension of its five weekly flights to and from Sana'a International Airport - effective from Thursday, 26th March 2015 and until further notice - due to safety and security concerns and in light of recent security developments in the Yemeni capital," Gulf Air said in an official statement yesterday.

Passengers are being advised to visit the airline's website gulfair.com for regular updates.

"Gulf Air is wholly committed to the safety and security of its passengers and crew and will continue to monitor and assess the security situation in and around Sana'a International Airport on a regular basis, working closely with airport and security officials in the Yemeni capital," the statement continued.

"The airline hopes to resume services to Sana'a as soon as operational conditions permit."

Aden's international airport has already suspended operations and President Hadi appealed to the UN Security Council on Tuesday to intervene in the crisis.

Intervention

Rebel forces seized an airbase 50km north of Aden yesterday, days after US military personnel were evacuated from the site. Rebel forces also advanced deep into Lahj province, which is adjacent to Aden and where rebels said they seized President Hadi's defence minister General Mahmud Al Subaihi.

Dozens of people have been killed as the Houthi militia, backed by troops allied to former strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh, have clashed with pro-Hadi forces as they push southwards.

In his letter to the UN, President Hadi referred to an unspecified "missile capability looted from the legitimate authority" and asked the Security Council to take control of the missiles.

President Hadi's acting foreign minister Riyadh Yassin told reporters in Egypt that he would call for "urgent intervention" at an Arab League summit due to start on Saturday. - TradeArabia News Service