Russian planes evacuate over 300 people from Yemen

MOSCOW - Two Russian Il-62 planes are heading for Moscow Saturday carrying over 300 evacuees from Yemen, local media reported.

The exact landing time is not specified.

Besides about 70 Russian nationals, the planes also helped over 200 people flee the conflict-torn country, including citizens from countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Cuba, Egypt and Syria, according to Russian Embassy in Yemen.

The embassy's press secretary Timofey Bykov said the embassy plans to continue evacuation if necessary.

"We are looking into the lists to see who else is left, but Russian citizens are few here in Sanaa (the Yemeni capital)," Tass news agency quoted him as saying.

The first round of Russia's evacuation finished early Friday morning, as altogether 311 people have arrived at Chkalovsky airport in Moscow region.

Security situation has sharply deteriorated in Yemen since early March when conflicts erupted in several provinces in the country's southern regions. More than 500 people were killed over the past two weeks.

Countries including China, Turkey and India have also been evacuating their nationals from Sanaa, while the UN has pulled out its staff from Yemen.

The UN Security Council on Saturday expressed its concerns over the humanitarian situation in Yemen, and is working on a draft resolution proposed by Russia.