Jordanian students flown home from Yemen

AMMAN — Around 120 Jordanians studying in turmoil-hit Yemen arrived in the Kingdom at dawn on Tuesday, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ashraf Khasawneh told The Jordan Times that a further 30 Jordanians studying in Yemen were expected to arrive in later in the day.

He noted that the retuning students were unharmed and in good health, describing their condition as "excellent".

The government on Saturday advised Jordanians to avoid travelling to crisis-hit Yemen after armed Shiite rebels pushed into the capital last Thursday. 

The current situation in Yemen presents no danger to the Kingdom's expatriates, Khasawneh said, citing assurances from the Jordanian embassy in Sanaa.

He advised Jordanians in Yemen to contact the embassy 24/7 on 009671413277 and 009671413276, or call the Foreign Ministry on 00967736412412, 0096265735150 and 0096265735166 in case of emergency.

Hundreds of rebel fighters manned checkpoints on the airport road and other major thoroughfares in the capital on Tuesday while heavily armed patrols cruised the streets in four-wheel-drive vehicles, Agence France-Presse reported.

Rebels were posted outside the public offices they entered on Sunday, which include the main government building, parliament, army headquarters and the central bank, alongside small detachments of military police, the agency said.