They say, however, that the same technology that let reporters and camera crews arrive ahead of aid shipments will let them withdraw staff from the country but return with relative ease when events call for it.
Sweden yesterday signalled it would withdraw staff from Sri Lanka following the departure of Danish and Finnish monitors, who pulled out of the unarmed mission after the EU classified the Tamil Tigers as "terrorists".
Prison management withdrew staff from the landings in Roe House housing dissidents.
Since May 2006, UNICEF has received reports of 23 incidences of non-governmental organizations – essential implementing partners for our agency – being forced to withdraw staff from areas of Darfur because of growing insecurity.
In London, a spokesman for the Foreign Office, who sought anonymity under departmental rules, said: "Due to increased security concerns, we have withdrawn all staff today in the British Embassy in Sana, and the embassy will remain closed until staff are able to return.
Hussein Mursal, its director in the country, said: "The conflict is now threatening the lives of our aid workers so we have temporarily withdrawn our staff to safety.
Libya Italy has withdrawn its staff from its consulate in Benghazi after a gun attack on its consul at the weekend.
The United Nations has since withdrawn its staff from West Timor, where 120,000 refugees from the eastern part of the island remain in camps.
Other humanitarian organisations, including Plan Mali, Action contre la Faim (Action against Hunger) and Christian Aid say they have withdrawn all staff from the area affected by conflict and have been forced to suspend operations.
Australia has never withdrawn diplomatic staff over an execution of a citizen abroad, but on Tuesday evening the prime minster, Tony Abbott, said he was recalling Australia's ambassador to Indonesia, Paul Grigson.
