The Dutch embassy in Yemen is to remain closed until August 12, foreign minister Frans Timmermans said on Tuesday.

The embassy was closed at the weekend following threats from al-Qaeda aimed primarily at the US.

Timmermans emphasised there is no direct threat to the Netherlands, but with other embassies closed, the Dutch embassy could become a target.

Meanwhile, the national anti-terrorism coordinator is not raising the risk level of a terrorist attack in the Netherlands, which remains at substantial.

‘We are keeping an eye on the situation and that is currently enough,’ a spokesman told the Telegraaf.

‘An unbelievably lax reaction,’ terrorism experts at the defence ministry told the paper.

On Monday, the foreign ministry advised travellers not to go to Yemen.