Algeria evacuates 160 citizens from Yemen

Algeria evacuated 160 of its citizens from war-torn Yemen on Saturday as a Saudi-led coalition continued a bombing campaign against rebel targets in the Arabian peninsula, national news agency APS reported.

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika called for the operation after monitoring the deteriorating security situation in Yemen in recent days, foreign minister Ramtane Lamamra said.

Algeria has refused to provide manpower from its powerful armed forces for the coalition carrying out air strikes against Shiite Houthi rebels.

APS added that 40 Tunisians, 15 Mauritians, eight Libyans, three Moroccans and a Palestinian were also flown out of the capital, Sanaa, to Cairo on a plane provided by Algerian national carrier Air Algerie.

Riyadh has formed the largest-ever coalition of Sunni Arab countries to fight the Houthis, bringing together most of the Gulf monarchies, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan and Egypt.

Aden, Yemen's main southern city and a last foothold of supporters of absent President Abedrabbu Mansour Hadi, has been shaken by more than a week of fierce clashes between Shiite rebels and militias of the deposed leader Ali Abdullah Saleh.