SANA'A: For the 6th time this year, Jamal Benomar, the United Nations envoy to Yemen arrived on Thursday to the capital, Sana'a, to oversee the signature of a much awaited power-transfer deal, which could signal the end of Ali Abdullah Saleh's presidency. Following the adoption of the 2014 UN Security Council resolution, the international community has been waiting on Saleh to honor his promises to sign the GCC-brokered proposal. Only a day after his arrival, Saleh ordered his armed forces to shell and attack the southern city of Taiz, using mortar shells, heavy artilleries and snipers. On Friday in the capital, protesters loyal to President Saleh surrounded the residence where Benomar was holding talks with the opposition, demanding his immediate departure from the country, as they chanted they would never agree to see Saleh go. In a scene reminiscent of May when several diplomats and high ranking officials had been trapped in the Qatari Embassy to be later lifted out by helicopter, Saleh's loyalists threaten of violent reprisals if the international community continues to interfere with the country's internal affairs. “I hope this will be an opportunity to solve the issues between the political factions in Yemen,” Benomar told the state news agency Saba when he arrived in the capital. Benomar's enthusiasm could, however be short lived since President Saleh does not seem to be ready to leave quite yet. BM
