The U.S. State Department has ordered the evacuation of non-essential staff at the American embassy in Yemen due to terrorist threats, as reports emerge that intercepted al-Qaida communications led to the recent closure of dozens of U.S. diplomatic posts.
US Evacuates Yemen Embassy
![Police stop cars at a checkpoint near the U.S. embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, August 6, 2013. The State Department on Tuesday ordered non-essential personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Yemen to leave the country.](https://gdb.voanews.com/100937e3-bb23-4778-be73-5fb87ae8d243_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Police stop cars at a checkpoint near the U.S. embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, August 6, 2013. The State Department on Tuesday ordered non-essential personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Yemen to leave the country.
![A police armoured personnel carrier is stationed at a checkpoint on the road leading to the Sanaa International Airport August 6, 2013.](https://gdb.voanews.com/75e4fc50-d64e-4c02-83fc-4f9de038dd0e_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A police armoured personnel carrier is stationed at a checkpoint on the road leading to the Sanaa International Airport August 6, 2013.
![A Yemeni soldier inspects cars on a street leading to the U.S. embassy in Sanaa, August 4, 2013.](https://gdb.voanews.com/1e18f8f1-cd71-4a8a-99b7-63e809e00762_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A Yemeni soldier inspects cars on a street leading to the U.S. embassy in Sanaa, August 4, 2013.
![An image grab taken from an AFPTV video shows people heading to Sanaa International Airport as they prepare to leave Yemen on August 6, 2013.](https://gdb.voanews.com/ddc9de0a-eb4b-49cf-af98-bcbc14457a2e_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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An image grab taken from an AFPTV video shows people heading to Sanaa International Airport as they prepare to leave Yemen on August 6, 2013.