Extent officials confirmed on Wednesday that all UN offices will remain close on Thursday, pending further review. All staff have been advised to stay home and avoid all public places.
A source told AFP on Wednesday under cover of strict anonymity, "Staff of the UN mission and UN agencies have received instructions not to turn up for work on Thursday.” The sources added, “Precautionary measures have been taken following advice from Yemeni security authorities.”
After the sheer extent of Last Wednesday’s terror attack, the coalition government is leaving nothing to chance, especially since al-Qaeda has proven to be a mightier enemy than ever expected. The precision and magnitude of the bomb attack against the Defence Ministry and the terror group’s military precision in its planning and targeting of Yemen’s institutional interests have more than established just how dangerous Yemen’s terror threat has grown into, thus prompting officials to exert caution.
AFp’ source explained that the southern district of Hida in Sana’ahas been identified as most dangerous. “The guidance warned of the risk of possible acts of terrorism in certain places, particular Hida," the south Sanaa neighbourhood where the UN offices are located.”
While so far foreign embassies have not announced they would imitate UN agencies, security officials have confirmed that several western embassies have already beefed up security, both within and without as a precaution.
Moreover, a government spokesman noted that TOTAL (French-based Oil and Gas company, with considerable invested interests in Yemen) will benefit from a security deployment around key installations to prevent sabotage.
"Additional security measures will be taken around certain key installations and foreign interests, ‘a is including the offices of (French energy giant) Total," he told reporters on Wednesday.