Yemen appoints UN ambassador as new foreign minister

Yemen's United Nations ambassador has been named as the country's new foreign minister, official media reported on Thursday. 

Khaled al-Yemany will replace Abdulmalek al-Mekhlafi as foreign minister, following his appointment by Yemen President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi on Thursday, state-run Saba news agency reported.

Mekhlafi will join Hadi's office as an "advisor".

Yemen's ambassador to the United States Ahmed Bin Mubarak will become the new UN envoy, Saba reported.

Hadi's internationally-recognised government, supported by a Saudi-led military coalition, has been battling Iran-backed Houthi rebels since 2014.

The government is currently based in the southern port city of Aden after the Houthis overran the capital, Sanaa, but Hadi is based in the Saudi capital Riyadh.