Militia insists embassy closures 'unjustified'

A Shiite militia that has taken control in Yemen said on Thursday that closures of Western diplomatic missions were "unjustified" and promised to return US embassy vehicles it had seized.

The United States, Britain and France cited security fears as they announced the shutting of their embassies on Wednesday, days after the militia ousted parliament in its latest move to consolidate power.

But Hussein al-Ezzi, described as the Houthi militia's head of foreign relations, said the closures were designed to put "pressure" on the Yemeni people.