Yemen FCO Travel warning - 5.4.08

Yemen


This advice has been reviewed and reissued with amendments to the Political Situation (grenade attack against US Embassy) section. The overall level of the advice has not changed.
We advise against all but essential travel to the Governorates of Sa’dah, Ma’rib, al Jawf, Shabwah and Hadramaut due to the threat of terrorism and tribal violence. Since September 2006 internal travel restrictions have applied in these Governorates. You should take all the necessary steps to protect your safety, this includes having confidence in your personal security arrangements. See the Political Situation and Terrorism sections of this advice for more details.



There is a high threat from terrorism in Yemen including against Western, and British, interests. You should be particularly vigilant in public places frequented by expatriates and foreigner travellers. We believe that terrorists continue to plan attacks. See the Terrorism section of this advise for more details.



There have been a number of kidnappings of foreign nationals since mid-2005, including in the Governorates of Ma’rib, Shabwah and ‘Amran. The last incident took place in the Governorate of Shabwah, on 31 August 2007. You should exercise caution when travelling outside major cities in Yemen. See the Kidnaps section of this advice for more details.



If you wish to travel to Governorates outside Sana'a, you may need prior permission from the Yemen Tourist Police. You should be aware that the areas this applies to can change at short notice and consular assistance may be severely limited due to the restrictions on travel.



There have been disturbances in Aden which have resulted in closures of the Aden-Sana'a road. These have been short-lived but if you intend to travel by road you should check that the road is open before starting your journey.



The main type of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in Yemen in 2007 was for dealing with arrests or detentions, mostly related to people travelling to areas of Yemen without the correct permission to do so.



We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.
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Kind regards,

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CovertMunkey