Yemeni Rebels Seize US Embassy Vehicles in Sanaa, Thousands of Documents Burned

Yemen’s Houthi rebels seized the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa on Tuesday night, according to preliminary reports.

A Houthi Shiite Yemeni, background, mans a machine gun atop an armored personnel carrier, seized from the presidential guards during clashes, outside the presidential palace in Sanaa, Yemen, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015. AP Photo/Hani Mohammed

Yemen’s Houthi rebels seized weapons belonging to the U.S. Embassy at the Sanaa Airport on Tuesday night, according to preliminary reports. They also wouldn’t allow U.S. Marines to leave with their weapons.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Yemeni employees at the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa said that embassy officials have burned thousands of documents last night inside the embassy. Weapons inside the storehouse were also destroyed.

CNN reported that the Houthis, a Shiite militant group, took U.S. Embassy vehicles.

An unnamed official told the broadcaster that the Houthis numerous took U.S. Marines’ weapons at the airport.

AP Photo/Hani Mohammed