Sri Lankans in Yemen fear ‘being caught in the crossfire’ as Colombo plans to join US-led attacks on Houthis
- Sri Lankans are concerned their lives ‘may be threatened’ and help will not be readily available in an emergency as the country does not have a mission in Yemen
- Colombo’s move to join the US operation signals its attempt at a ‘balancing act’ rather than a change in support for the Palestinian cause, one analyst says
Isuru Alagiyawanna, 32, arrived in Yemen just six months ago in search of a better life away from the debilitating economic crisis of his native Sri Lanka. But as Colombo plans to join the US-led operations against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, he fears “being caught in the crossfire”.
Early this month, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that the country had decided to send a navy vessel to join the multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian, aimed at securing commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea against Houthi attacks.
Following the escalation of the Israel-Gaza conflict, the Houthis, which control the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the northwestern regions bordering the Red Sea, in November launched attacks on “Israel-linked” vessels sailing through the shipping lanes, which normally see hundreds of billions worth of cargo pass through them each year.
Close to 30 vessels sailing through the Red Sea have been targeted since the Houthi attacks began. Last week, the United States and its allies began retaliating by launching air and sea strikes.
Sri Lankans like Alagiyawanna, who work in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, fear their safety will be at risk once the Sri Lankan vessel joins the coalition’s efforts.