Yemen’s Saleh comes out of surgery, future unclear

SANAA: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh was recovering from an operation in Saudi Arabia to remove shrapnel from his chest while a truce between his troops and a tribal federation appeared to be holding.

Protesters, interpreting Saleh’s absence as a sign that his grip on power was weakening, celebrated on the streets of Sanaa where they have been staging anti-government demonstrations since January.

“Who is next?,” asked one banner held up by a protesters in a sea of red, white and black Yemeni flags, referring to the wave of uprisings in Arab world that has seen the leaders of Tunisia and Egypt toppled and inspired uprisings elsewhere.

Saleh was wounded on Friday when a rocket was fired into his presidential palace in Sanaa, killing seven others and injuring his closest advisers. He is being treated in a Riyadh hospital.

He left as acting president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, the vice president who is seen by many as having little power. Leaving Yemen at a time of such instability, even for medical care, could make it hard for Saleh to retain power.

Early on Monday, a truce between troops loyal to Saleh and the Ahmar group, leader of Yemen’s Hashed tribal federation, appeared to be holding, offering some respite after two weeks of fighting in the capital in which more than 200 people have been killed.

Key in the coming days will be any news of Saleh’s condition and any signals from Saudi Arabia on whether he will be able to return to Yemen – or whether Riyadh will apply pressure on Saleh to step down.

Saleh, a political survivor who has ruled the impoverished country at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula for nearly 33 years, had so far managed to remain despite the defection of his top generals and ambassadors.

Saleh has exasperated his former U.S. and Saudi allies, who once saw him as a key partner in efforts to combat Yemen-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, by repeatedly reneging on a Gulf-brokered deal for him to quit in return for immunity.

“The kingdom (Saudi Arabia) will convince Saleh to agree to the Gulf-brokered exit so that the situation can be resolved peacefully and without bloodshed,” said Saudi analyst Abdulaziz Kasem.

Saleh’s fall could also give renewed impetus to protest movements around the region.

“The departure of Saleh is a turning point not just for the Yemeni revolution but also is a huge push for the current changes in the Arab region and is the start of the real victory,” said Zaki Bani Rusheid, a leading figure in Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood.

Egyptian political scientist Hassan Nafaa agreed: “The ‘Arab Spring’ will continue, Arab people are in a state of total rejection of their current ruling systems.”

Saudis killed Yemeni civilians in border war: cable

RIYADH: Saudi armed forces killed Yemeni civilians when fighting rebels in a brief border war despite assurances that only rebel targets were hit, leaked U.S. diplomatic cables quoted a Saudi official as saying.

Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia fought Yemeni rebels for several months in a border war that ended with a ceasefire in February.

In public statements during the fighting, Saudi Arabia said that only rebel positions in the border area were attacked. But the leaked cables suggest civilians died.

“We tried very hard not to hit civilian targets,” Prince Khaled bin Sultan, son of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, told the U.S. ambassador in Riyadh, according to the cable from the Riyadh embassy in February.

“Obviously some civilians died, though we wish that this did not happen,” the prince, who is also assistant defence minister, said in the

ISI DG calls on Saudi King

Riyadh, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha has called on Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz in Riyadh.

According to a Saudi TV, ISI DG conveyed the message of President Asif Zardari’s good wished to the Saudi king. General Pasha also discussed matters of mutual interests with Saudi king, the channel added.

Pervez Musharraf terms Saudi meeting successful

Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan:- Pervez Musharraf terms Saudi meeting successful, Former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf has termed his meeting with Saudi King Abdullah successful during his visit to Riyadh as he was accorded state protocol in the trip.

Musharraf termed his meeting with King Abdullah successful, saying “The meeting remained excellent, adding that the King had some concerns about recent political situation of Pakistan.

The almost royal treatment given by the Saudi government to former president during his visit to Riyadh had thrown his opponents into total confusion.

Reports that King Abdullah sent a special plane to bring the retied general from London to Riyadh have surprised a number of politicians of Pakistan.

The media reports have sparked speculations that the Saudi ruling family is taking keen interest to defuse tension in Pakistan and try to use its influence to persuade PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif to give up his demand for Gen (retd) Musharraf’s trial for high treason.

In his telephonic talk, Musharraf said the army operation in Malakand Division against Taliban militants had proved successful. “The operation was undoubtedly successful…Pak Army have always rendered sacrifices played a vital role to safeguard the territorial integrity of Pakistan.”

The former president urged upon the nation to demonstrate equality against that extremism and terrorism as the two “pose great threat to Pakistan.”

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Pervez Musharraf terms Saudi meeting successful was first posted on September 6, 2009 at 11:53 pm.
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