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U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell wrote to Secretary of State John Kerry late Thursday urging his agency to prioritize the evacuation of U.S. citizens stranded in Yemen amid airstrikes by Saudi Arabia.

“We have an obligation to make every possible effort to safely evacuate U.S. citizens from conflict zones,” wrote Dingell, a Democrat whose district includes a significant Yemeni-American community.

“It is critical that you work with our allies in the region to explore alternative options for the safe evacuation of U.S. citizens in Yemen.”

Saudi Arabia announced an end to its air campaign Tuesday but this week bombings have continued targeting Houthi rebels backed by Iran. The Houthis invaded Yemen’s capital last year and this month forced its president from the country.

Dingell’s office and Arab-American advocacy groups in Michigan are continuing to receive calls from Yemeni Americans desperate for information and help for family members trapped in the war-ravaged country. Roughly 12,000 Americans of Yemini descent live in southeastern Michigan.
 

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