Embassy personnel evacuated from Yemen; Americans urged to leave.

The State Department on Tuesday ordered the evacuation of much of the U.S. Embassy in Yemen and urged all Americans to leave the country following an al-Qaeda threat that triggered the shutdown of diplomatic outposts across the Muslim world and Africa.

On the same day that Air Force aircraft were flying Americans out of Yemen, a suspected U.S. drone targeted a moving car in the impoverished nation’s Marib province, killing four alleged al-Qaeda militants, according to a Yemeni security official who spoke on condition of anonymity

It was the fourth drone attack targeting leaders of the group in less than two weeks. Yemeni officials told the Associated Press that one of the dead is believed to be Saleh Jouti, a senior al-Qaeda member.

The State Department said in a global travel alert that all non-emergency U.S. government personnel would be evacuated “due to the continued potential for terrorist attacks.” It described an “extremely high” security threat level in Yemen and advised U.S. citizens to leave immediately.

“As staff levels at the Embassy are restricted, our ability to assist U.S. citizens in an emergency and provide routine consular services remains limited and may be further constrained by the fluid security situation,” the statement read.

Yemen’s government sharply criticized the evacuation, suggesting it was unwarranted and rewarded extremists.

“Yemen has taken all necessary precautions to ensure the safety and security of foreign missions in the capital Sanaa,” said a statement issued Tuesday by the Yemeni Embassy in Washington. “While the government of Yemen appreciates foreign governments’ concern for the safety of their citizens, the evacuation of embassy staff serves the interests of the extremists and undermines the exceptional cooperation between Yemen and the international alliance against terrorism. Yemen remains strongly committed to the global effort to counter the threats of al-Qaeda and its affiliates.”

U.S. military officials did not specify how many Americans were flown out of Yemen or where they were taken. The British Embassy said it evacuated its staff because of the security threats.

The Pentagon said it was keeping an undisclosed number of military personnel in Yemen to support the U.S. Embassy “and monitor the security situation.” Residents in the capital reported seeing and hearing a low-flying aircraft that many believed to be a U.S. drone or some form of surveillance plane.

On Sunday, the United States said it was closing 19 embassies and consulates — including missions in North Africa, the Middle East, East Africa and Bangladesh — until next Saturday. The highly unusual shutdowns were a result of intercepted communication between al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and Nasir al-Wuhayshi, the leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the terrorist network’s Yemen branch.

In one communication, Zawahiri, who succeeded Osama bin Laden as al-Qaeda’s leader, gave orders to Wuhayshi to stage an attack, according to a person briefed on the matter. Wuhayshi is still thought to be in Yemen and Zawahiri in Pakistan, said Bruce Hoffman, a Georgetown University professor and expert on terrorist groups.