Yemen General Says Opposition Will Be Ally Against Terrorism

SANA, Yemen — As the Arab Spring has turned to summer, this impoverished nation has fallen into chaos, raising fears in Washington that it will become the next headquarters of Al Qaeda — particularly with the declining influence of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, one of America’s staunchest allies in the fight against terrorism.

But Gen. Ali Mohsin al-Ahmar, long one of Yemen’s most powerful military commanders and now a prominent opposition figure, says that familiar scenario has it just about backward.

Once it comes to power, he says, the opposition will become a far more dependable counterterrorism ally for the United States than President Saleh ever was. Mr. Saleh, now laid up in a Saudi hospital, is the problem, the general says, not the answer.

“As long as this regime is in power, Al Qaeda will continue to exist in Yemen,” said General Ahmar, sitting in his office at the headquarters of the army’s First Armored Division, which he leads. “Now, counterterrorism cooperation is based on material cooperation only. It is for the exchange of funds. How much will you give me if I can kill a person for you?”

As soon as political power is no longer consolidated in the Saleh family, General Ahmar vowed: “We will deal with terrorism as a critical issue. It will fight the terrorists as a matter of life or death. Not for material gain.”

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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/23/world/middleeast/23mohsin.html

Huge Protests in Yemen Call for Transitional Government

Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis have rallied in major cities throughout the country, demanding President Ali Abdullah Saleh step down and calling for a transitional council that excludes members of the current government.

In the capital, Sana'a, a huge crowd swelled Tuesday outside the home of Yemen's acting leader, Vice President Abd al-Rab Mansur Hadi - a day after Yemen's political opposition held talks with him on a possible transition plan.

Similar demonstrations were held in several other cities, Hadramawt, Hodeida, Ibb, Damar and Saada.

Mr. Saleh transferred power to his deputy after traveling to Saudi Arabia to seek medical treatment for wounds suffered in an attack on his presidential compound earlier this month. Several high-ranking Yemeni officials wounded in the attack are also being treated in Riyadh.

Yemen's state news agency said Mr. Saleh told Saudi King Abdullah by telephone Tuesday that his health is "constantly improving."

Meanwhile, the Gulf Cooperation Council met in Riyadh Tuesday to discuss how to resurrect its initiative aimed at resolving Yemen's political crisis.

The United States and Saudi Arabia are attempting to persuade Yemen's ruling party to adopt the GCC deal that would end Mr. Saleh's rule, create a unity government and conduct elections within two months. The group's efforts to help resolve the unrest stalled after President Saleh refused to sign a proposal which calls for him to eventually leave office.

In another development, Yemeni security sources say a bomb killed an army officer in a region near the southern port of Aden. Officials said the blast tore through the car of Colonel Muti'a al-Sayani while he was driving Monday.

In Washington, the State Department's counterterrorism coordinator said the U.S. is concerned Yemen's ongoing unrest could fuel connections between al-Qaida-linked militants there and al-Shabab insurgents in Somalia.

Daniel Benjamin said the United States is still cooperating with Yemen in the fight against al-Qaida despite the Gulf nation's political crisis and Mr. Saleh's absence.

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http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Bomb-Kills-Colonel-in-Yemens-South-123823269.html

New protest launched to demand Yemen president to leave office

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Several thousand protesters gathered in Yemen's capital Sanaa on Monday, to demand the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Earlier on Monday, Yemeni forces fired at protesters blockading a government building, killing a shopkeeper and two protesters.

The latest violence came as the Arabian Peninsula country's main opposition group awaits word on whether the Gulf Arab states could revive a deal to edge Saleh out of power within a month. Saleh, who refused to sign the transition deal, has clung to power despite three months of street protests that regularly draw thousands of people. Many protesters have vowed to stay on the streets until Saleh leaves office.

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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/video/2011-05/10/c_13867470.htm