Libyan Embassy to Yemen Changes Flag

September 2, 2011,

The Libyan embassy in Sanaa took down the official Libyan state flag and hoisted the rebel flag Thursday, an official of the Interior Ministry told Xinhua.

"The staff of the Libyan embassy did not change and the Yemeni Foreign Ministry and Interior Ministry have been informed about the replacement of flags," the official said on condition of anonymity, refusing to provide further details.

The green banner of Muammar Gaddafi's regime was took down Thursday at the embassy and replaced by the crescent and star emblazoned red-black-green flag symbolizing the Libyan rebel National Transitional Council (NTC), witnesses said.

The Yemeni government has not publicly announced the recognition of the Libyan rebel NTC as the post-Gaddafi leadership.

Yemen has been in the grip of a political crisis since the eruption of protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 33- year rule in late January.