New Delhi

An Indian citizen who had been stranded on Yemen’s Socotra Island for several weeks has been safely evacuated and returned to India, the Indian mission in Yemen confirmed on Wednesday.

In a post on X, the mission said that Ms Rakki Kishan Gopal was evacuated from Socotra on January 7 via a special Yemenia Airlines flight to Jeddah. Officials from the Indian Consulate General in Jeddah received her upon arrival, following which she was facilitated for her return to India earlier today.

Indian national evacuated from Yemen's Socotra Island amid escalating conflict, returns home safely

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The evacuation took place amid escalating political and military tensions in Yemen, which have severely disrupted air travel and left civilians and foreign nationals stranded in various parts of the country.

Recent developments have seen Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, complete the transfer of control over all military installations in the eastern governorates of Hadramout and al-Mahra after reclaiming them from the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), Yemeni media reported, according to Al Jazeera.

These developments have coincided with diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation. A delegation led by STC chief Aidarous al-Zubaidi is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia to participate in a peace forum, a move widely viewed as an attempt to reduce tensions in a conflict that has devastated Yemen and strained ties between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

On the ground, STC forces have reportedly withdrawn over the past two days from Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout and a key port city, following limited air strikes carried out last week by the Saudi-led coalition that targeted cargo and weapons facilities. Local sources cited by Al Jazeera Arabic said civilian life in parts of Mukalla has gradually resumed, with shops reopening and traffic returning.

Tensions had sharply escalated in early December after STC fighters seized control of Hadramout and al-Mahra—two provinces that together make up nearly half of Yemen’s land area and share a border with Saudi Arabia. The clashes marked a major escalation in the struggle for power between the separatist group and Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, said Saudi-backed Homeland Shield forces had achieved “record success” by reclaiming all military and security positions from the STC. By Friday, the Yemeni government had asked Saudi Arabia to host talks with the separatists, a proposal the STC welcomed, although no timeline or framework has yet been announced.

An STC official said at least 80 of its fighters were killed, 152 wounded and 130 captured during the clashes. Fighting intensified after the STC accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out air strikes on its positions near the border, resulting in seven deaths and 20 injuries, Al Jazeera reported.

Amid the hostilities, the STC announced a two-year transitional phase aimed at establishing an independent southern state, warning that independence would be declared immediately if dialogue failed or if southern Yemen faced renewed attacks.

The Yemeni government defended its actions, with Hadramout Governor Salem al-Khanbashi stating that efforts to retake military bases were not a declaration of war but a step to restore state authority in a peaceful and orderly manner. The government also accused the STC of restricting civilian movement into Aden, calling the move a serious constitutional violation and a breach of the Riyadh Agreement.

Against this backdrop, civilian movement has been severely affected, including on Socotra Island. Around 400 tourists have reportedly been stranded there after flights were suspended due to the fighting on the mainland between Saudi-backed government forces and UAE-linked separatists.

Air travel to and from Yemen has remained largely restricted in recent days as intense clashes continue between rival armed groups operating under the country’s fragmented governance structure, headquartered in the southern port city of Aden.

Socotra, located approximately 380 kilometres south of the Yemeni mainland, is under the control of the UAE-backed STC, which has been engaged in clashes with government forces in Hadramout and al-Mahra.

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Confirming the situation, Yahya bin Afrar, Socotra’s deputy governor for culture and tourism, said that more than 400 foreign tourists were unable to leave the island after flights were suspended. According to Al Jazeera, the flight disruptions are directly linked to the wider escalation of violence on the mainland, which has affected air operations and civilian movement amid volatile security conditions.