Egypt is coordinating with Saudi Arabia and Oman to facilitate the return of Egyptian expats in turmoil-hit Yemen, Egypt's foreign ministry said on Monday. The statement follows the launch on Thursday of a Saudi-led military operation against Houthi militants in the country, in which Egypt is participating. The foreign ministry announced that Oman had agreed to allow Egyptians in Yemen to travel into Oman through the Al-Mazyouna and Sarfait border crossings. The Egyptian embassy in Muscat is speaking with Omani authorities to facilitate the return of Egyptians in the case that they have no passport or ID document, or plane ticket, the statement read. The embassy is also discussing sending an Egyptian consular mission to the border crossings with Yemen. The statement also hinted that Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry had spoken to his Saudi counterpart Prince Saud El-Faisal to determine a border crossing between Saudi Arabia and Yemen through which Egyptians might leave the embattled country. Earlier on Monday, news reports stated that navy warships shelled a column of Houthi fighters and troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh as they tried to advance on the southern port city of Aden. Residents said the warships were believed to be Egyptian. Egypt's diplomatic mission to Aden left the country and returned to Cairo after the Houthi advance on the city last week. Egypt's minister of manpower Nahed El-Ashry stated on Monday that there were officially 6,000 to 7,000 Egyptian expatsin Yemen. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/126523.aspx
