Yemenis trapped in Egypt are amongst thousands of fellow nationals stuck in different countries still yearning for an elusive return to their home soil, three weeks into a Saudi-led campaign targeting Shia rebels which has largely limited access to the war-ravaged country.

Dozens of those have lined a street in a western Cairo district where the Yemeni Embassy is located, waiting daily for over two weeks for a glimmer of hope to return to their families, amid purported unresponsiveness from Yemeni officials.

The bulk of those have come to Egypt seeking medical treatment for a few days or weeks, but found themselves stranded in the north African country as the fighting against the Iran-backed Houthi militias rages, with many now running out of cash which is necessary for them to scrape by during their forced stay.

Khaled Hussein, 50, came to Cairo early in March to undergo surgery and was due to return three days after the anti-Houthi air campaign which started on 26 March. Egypt has since suspended commercial flights to and from the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country, with Saudi Arabia now controlling the Yemeni airspace and declaring it a restricted zone.

“Now, we can no longer afford food or residence. I’m extending my flat rental day by day,” Hussein said, as he waits on a wheelchair with an amputated leg.

A few men and women can be seen alternating their way to the embassy’s bolted metal gates, attempting to speak through a tiny and narrow hole to security guards inside, in the hope of understanding when their predicament will end, but to no avail.

“The ambassador is not around and the gate is closed. We need somebody to talk to. All that we want is a safe route back home,” 38-year old Aisha said as she sprawled on a bed sheet alongside several other black-clad, face-covered women camping outside.

“We are besieged here and in Yemen, we are facing aggression here and there.”

Yemen slid deeper into turmoil after a Saudi-led coalition, of which Egypt is a member, began pounding the Houthi rebels last month in an effort to stem their power grab. Hundreds of people have been killed and over 121,000 displaced.

'No Government'

Several countries have since evacuated hundreds of their own and other nationals from the conflict-ridden country by air and sea, including Russia, Jordan and India. The United Nations also pulled out international staff and Saudi Arabia evacuated dozens of its diplomats and citizens.

But after months of a power struggle, which has seen the capital Sanaa captured by the rebels and forced Western and Gulf-backed President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee the country, the authorities appear to have been rendered powerless.

“We have no government,'' Taha Mansour, another Yemeni national laments. ''We call on the Egyptian president [Abdel-Fattah] El-Sisi to find us a solution to return to our families.”

The Yemeni embassy says the matter is “out if its hands,” and an embassy official argues that a decision to secure trips to fly Yemenis back home is up to the members of the Saudi-led coalition, namely Egypt and the oil-rich monarchy.

“If they allow Egyptian planes to Saudi Arabia or guarantee that Egypt’s flights will safely land in [Yemen's capital] Sanaa, as was the case with flights of other states, Yemenis will be evacuated within a week,” Khaled Sheba, head of the Yemeni community in Egypt, who has been a volunteering associate with the embassy, told Ahram Online.

Since the crisis arose, Sheba said, the embassy--with the aid of Yemeni businessmen--has provided residence to hundreds out of an estimated 6,300 distraught nationals marooned in Egypt, mostly those who were due to return as the anti-Houthi campaign began.

But verbal and physical assault by infuriated citizens on the embassy and its mission over the past few weeks have stiffled communication with those camping out, the official added.

“Everyday at least 50- 60 Yemenis who meet conditions are offered a residence, and each businessman provides for a certain group.”

The International Organization for Immigration has pledged to fly out around 1,000 Yemenis - women, children and elderly by sea - but the move is still dependent on an approval by the Saudi-led coalition to ensure a secure route.

Yemeni officials in Cairo are attempting to secure private Jordanian flights, with costs being taken care of by Yemeni authorities, pending a go-ahead by the country’s financial ministry.