Yemen economy takes $2bn hit from terrorism

Terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda and other Islamic extremist groups have cost Yemen's economy more than $2 billion, Yemen's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi said terrorist attacks had impacted the economy of the country, one of the poorest in the world, and called on the international community to provide more aid, state news agency SABA reported.

Yemen has witnessed a recent upsurge in attacks by groups linked to Al-Qaeda in the last year, including a deadly attack on the US embassy in Sanaa on Sept. 17 in which 18 people were killed.

Al-Qirbi also welcomed international observers to attend the country's parliamentary elections in April next year and pledged to take all measures to ensure the elections were fair.

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