SANA'A: Despite countless announcements by the press and Yemeni officials that former President Ali Abdullah Saleh was on his way to Ethiopia where he would stay in exile, the Yemen Post quoted members of the General People's Congress as denying the allegations, stressing that Saleh would remain in the country and lead his party. Aides to Saleh reportedly told the media of the autocrat's plan to leave the country following international pressure and the threat of financial and legal reprisals if he was to refuse. Al-Motamar.net, the mouthpiece of the ruling party wrote in a fiery statement against Saleh's detractors: “Saleh will stay in Yemen, and those who should live in exile are the traitors of the nation.” Most of the controversy revolving around the former President ‘s departure is linked to the fact that his family members, most specifically his eldest son, Ahmed Ali, the Head of the elite corps, the Republican Guards and Special forces are still controlling the country's armed forces, making the clan a “de facto political force.” With tensions growing over restructuring the military with revolutionaries demanding President Abdu Rabbo Mansour Hadi to move swiftly and Saleh's relatives announcing that they have no intention to leave, things remain murky in Arabia. Brigadier General Yehia Mohamed Saleh, a nephew of Saleh and Head of the Central Security Forces told BBC Arabic that his uncle would neither leave nor bow to pressure. More troubling, voices are slowly rising in Yemen questioning President Hadi's ability to lead the nation through such troubled times. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/5NHLv Tags: Saleh, Yemen Section: Latest News, Yemen
