ANKARA
Fifty-five Turkish citizens, evacuated by Turkey's navy from Yemen's port city of Aden, have arrived in Djibouti, authorities said Friday.
Earlier in the day, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that "the Turkish navy vessel, TCG Buyukada Frigate, completed the evacuation of 55 citizens from Yemen's city of Aden."
The citizens were welcomed in Djibouti by Turkey’s temporary Charge d’Affaires in Djibouti Ismail Altunal and Turkish military attaché to Somalia Marine Staff Senior Colonel Ismail Ipekci.
They had traveled for seven hours on board the Turkish navy vessel. The Turkish Embassy in Djibouti said the evacuated citizens were all in good health.
All 55 people are staying in a hotel and will fly back to Turkey via Turkish Airlines on Saturday.
Yemen has been in turmoil since last September, when the Houthis overran Sanaa, from where they have sought to extend their influence to other parts of the country.
Several Arab states have joined the Saudi-led offensive which started on March 25 with a string of airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, including some in capital Sanaa.