367 Indonesians Repatriated from War-Torn Yemen

Jakarta. More than 300 Indonesian nationals fleeing the conflict in Yemen safely arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Tuesday.

Indonesia's Foreign Ministry, which is overseeing the evacuation of citizens from the conflict-torn country, repatriated the 367 Indonesians from Salalah in Oman, according to Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, the ministry's director of consular and legal affairs.

"They will be returned to their homes directly through land transportation and also air transportation for those living outside Java," Lalu said on Tuesday.

According to Lalu, people will be helped back to their homes in East Java, Central Java, Jakarta, West Java, Banten, Bekasi, Depok, Bogor and a number to islands outside Java.

The group returned home on an Airbus A330-300 operated by Indonesia AirAsia X.

"We are very honored to have been able to partake in this mission to return Indonesians from Oman to the nation," said Dendy Kurniawan, CEO of the airline, in a statement.

"We thank the Indonesian government, especially the Foreign Affairs Ministry, for putting their trust to Indonesia AirAsia X.

The groups' homecoming on Tuesday morning brings the total number of Indonesians that have been repatriated from Yemen to 1,369 people.

Yemen has been wracked by violence since Shiite Houthi fighters seized the capital, Sanaa, last year and forced President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi into exile in Saudi Arabia.

The conflict intensified last month when a Saudi-led coalition began a campaign of airstrikes on Houthi positions.

Islamic schools in Yemen have long been attracted a considerable numbers of Indonesian students of Arab descent.