ADEN, Yemen, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The Yemeni government on Thursday expressed deep concern and regret over the U.S. decision to restrict the entry of Yemeni citizens to the United States as part of a broader travel ban affecting multiple countries.
In a statement released by the state-run Saba news agency, the Yemeni government said the decision would have "a significant negative impact on thousands of Yemenis, including students, researchers, and heads of households, who have been and continue to be committed to U.S. laws."
The Yemeni government called on the U.S. administration to reconsider the decision and exempt Yemeni citizens, citing "the difficult humanitarian conditions facing the Yemeni people."
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that citizens of 12 countries would be banned from visiting the United States, namely Afghanistan, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since 2014 when the Houthi militant group seized control of Sanaa and other northern regions, prompting a Saudi-led coalition intervention in 2015 to restore the internationally recognized government.
The travel restrictions may affect Yemenis who have sought to travel to the United States for education, medical treatment, and family reunification amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in their homeland, according to local observers. ■
