Officials said the decision would also enable dependents of U.S. embassy
staffers to return to Yemen. They said at this point the dependents would be
limited to adult family members.
"The return of the diplomats reflects the success achieved by the
security forces in hunting down terrorists, including the last operation in
Hudhrmout," the U.S. embassy said.
Officials said the reference was to a Yemen Army strike on an Al Qaida
stronghold in Hudhrmout on Aug. 11. Five Al Qaida operatives, including a
network commander, were killed in the raid by army and security forces in
the eastern province. Yemen has been searching for another 35 Al Qaida
agents.
In March 2008, the State Department ordered the evacuation of
non-essential staffers as well as all dependents from Yemen. The evacuation
took place amid a series of Al Qaida rocket strikes against Western
facilities in Sanaa.
Despite the return of the non-essential staffers, the State Department
has urged Americans not to travel to Yemen. The department has warned of the
prospect of Al Qaida and other attacks on tourist areas.
"Embassy employees have been advised to exercise caution when choosing
restaurants, hotels or visiting tourist areas in Sanaa in order to avoid
large gatherings of foreigners and expatriates," the government statement
said.
