Eight Cambodian Muslim students have been evacuated from Yemen to avoid growing civil unrest in the beleaguered Gulf state, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Saturday.

The Cambodian Embassy in Kuwait closely cooperated with the Malaysian Embassy in Yemen to extract the students from the war-torn country as the “current situation in Yemen could not guarantee security for our citizens”, wrote Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong in a statement.

“Currently, the eight Cambodian Muslim students are staying in a safe place while waiting for their return to Cambodia,’’ he added.

Kuong could not be reached yesterday to confirm the evacuees’ current whereabouts or when they will return.

Security has declined in Yemen since rebel Huthis took control of the capital Sanaa in September last year and continue to spread their influence along the south near Aden.

Over the last two weeks, fighting has intensified and left more than 500 dead and about 1,700 wounded, reports say.

Representatives from the Cambodian Embassy in Kuwait and the Malaysian Embassy in Yemen could not be reached yesterday.