Al-Qaeda planned to blow up oil pipelines, control Yemeni ports

Yemen's security forces have been placed on a state of high alert amid fears of an al-Qaeda linked attack.

In the capital, Sanaa, tanks and troops have surrounded foreign missions, government offices and the airport.

A spokesman for the Yemeni authorities said they had foiled plans to blow up oil pipelines and take control of key cities - including two ports in the south, one of which accounts for the bulk of Yemen's oil exports.

The plan involved positioning Al-Qaeda members dressed as soldiers outside ports, who on a given signal would invade the facility and take it over.

Both the US, which closed 20 embassies worldwide on Sunday, and the UK have withdrawn diplomatic staff from Yemen and urged their citizens to leave.

Yemen has criticised the withdrawal, saying it served the interests of extremists.

The US embassy and consulate closures reportedly followed intercepted conversations between two senior al-Qaeda figures, including top leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, suggesting renewed terrorist attacks.