Ankara: Yemen announced it has completed the evacuation of all foreign tourists who had been stranded on Socotra Island, transferring 609 visitors of various nationalities to Saudi Arabia through four evacuation flights. The Yemeni Foreign Ministry confirmed that the operation was carried out in coordination with relevant Saudi authorities, with all tourists flown to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

According to Anadolu Agency, Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani stated that the final evacuation flight departed from Socotra, marking the end of the operation following recent security tensions in southern Yemen. Al-Eryani emphasized that the successful completion of the evacuation reflected a high level of national coordination in managing the humanitarian situation. He also announced the resumption of regular international flights between Socotra and Jeddah in February, aimed at restoring confidence in the island as a safe tourism destination. Additionally, a new international air route between Al-Mokha Airport in southwestern Yemen and Jeddah is set to be launched.

Earlier this week, Yemen's Foreign Ministry cited that the evacuations were initiated after air traffic to Socotra was disrupted due to unrest in the southern regions of the country. Socotra, located approximately 300 kilometers off Yemen's southern coast, had been accessible by air primarily through the United Arab Emirates in recent years, as reported by international media.

The evacuations occur amid changing political and military dynamics in southern Yemen, including tensions involving the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which announced its dissolution on Friday. The unification of North and South Yemen in May 1990 formed the modern Republic of Yemen.