Tribesmen stand on tanks they took from army bases in Shihr city of Yemen’s eastern Hadramawt province April 4, 2015. Tribal forces in Yemen’s eastern Hadramawt province have taken over two army bases, a day after soldiers there left their posts, and plan to retake the provincial capital Mukalla from suspected al Qaeda fighters, army sources said on Saturday. REUTERS/Omer Arm

CAIRO, Egypt’s Defence Minister Sedki Sobhi received a top Djibouti defence official on Sunday, discussing developments in Yemen and “tensions” in the southern Red Sea area, Egypt’s armed forces said.

Djibouti Cheif of Staff Zakariya Sheikh Ibrahim, who is currently visiting Cairo, and Sobhi discussed the “rapid” developments on the regional and international levels, amid the “current circumstances” and the latest developments in Yemen, the armed forces said in a statement.

The top defence officials also discussed the instability in the south Red Sea area.

Egypt fears that Houthi control over Bab al-Mandeb, which lies between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, would affect navigation into the strategic Suez Canal.

The Arab world’s most populous country is part of a Saudi-led coalition carrying out military operations against the group, after the Shia rebel movement made advances onto the Yemeni south.

Egypt is currently coordinating with several countries to see the return of nationals wishing to leave the conflict-torn country.

Some 380 Egyptians have fled Yemen since the coalition launched operations, including 60 who left the Yemeni city of Aden by sea for the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti, where the Egyptian embassy is overseeing their return home, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said earlier today.

Saudi Arabia says military operations by the coalition are in response to an appeal from Yemeni President President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The White House backs the Saudi-led coalition and is providing it with logistical and intelligence support. However, Iran has described it as “a breach of Yemen’s sovereignty”.

Source: Aswat Masriya