Houthi authorities have sealed off several Ethiopian Orthodox and Evangelical churches in Yemen, leaving congregations who have lived in the country for more than two decades without places of worship, followers told the BBC.

Abraham Bekele, a longtime member of St. George Church in Sanaa, said the church, where he also teaches his children Amharic, was closed during the Christmas holiday. He added that the building was looted prior to the closure. The 25-year-old church had served as a religious and community centre for Ethiopians in the capital.

A Protestant worshipper, who has lived in Sanaa for over 20 years, said a separate church for Ethiopian evangelical believers, founded 25 years ago by an Indian national named Victor, was also sealed, and its founder arrested.

Before Yemen descended into civil war, the country had been a destination for Ethiopian migrant workers and later a transit point for those travelling to Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations.

The United Nations Refugee Agency recorded over 16,000 Ethiopians in Yemen at the start of last year, highlighting the continued presence of a sizeable Ethiopian community despite the ongoing conflict.