Jakarta, IO – The government is preparing a contingency plan to ensure the safety of Indonesian citizens in Yemen following US-led strikes.
The Foreign Ministry (Kemlu) citizen protection director Judha Nugraha said the Indonesian Embassy in Muscat has prepared anticipatory measures in the event the escalation continued, per CNNIndonesia, Mon (15/1).
Kemlu has also issued advisory for Indonesian citizens in the country to be more cautious since November last year.
Judha confirmed that no Indonesian citizens have been affected by the airstrikes so far. There are currently 47 Indonesian citizens living in the areas targeted — 15 people in Sanaa, 19 in Hudaidah and 13 in Dhammar.
In total, there are 4,866 Indonesian citizens living in Yemen, the majority of whom are students in the Tarim Hadhramaut region. The Indonesian diplomatic mission will continue to monitor the situation before deciding on further steps.
The US and UK launched massive airstrikes against Yemen in the small hours of Friday (12/1) after the Yemeni rebel group Houthis fired 21 missiles and drones at US warships in the Red Sea.
Read: Indonesian Female Weightlifting Olympic Medalist Dies Aged 43
The attacks destroyed scores of vital infrastructure and facilities including the Al Dailami Air Base in the capital Sanaa, several airports, and military headquarters in the city of Saada.
Many analysts are concerned that US and UK strikes marked a major escalation in the ongoing Hamas vs Israel war which broke out on October 7, 2023. The Houthis have claimed that their attacks against the US forces are to support the Palestinians as they face Israel’s “aggression and siege” in Gaza. (un)