Yemeni PM Returning Home

August 23rd, 2011

Yemen's Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Megawar is expected to return home soon after recovering from injuries in neighboring Saudi Arabia.

Government aides say Mr. Megawar could return to Yemen as soon as Tuesday. He was wounded in June when opposition fighters bombed the government compound in Sana'a. President Ali Abdullah Saleh also was wounded in the blast and is being treated in Saudi Arabia.

A number of Yemeni officials who were hurt in the attack sought treatment in the neighboring country.

On Monday, the speaker of the Yemeni parliament's upper house died from his injuries while in Saudi Arabia. Shura Council leader Abdul Aziz Abdul Ghani was the first senior political official to succumb to his injuries.

Yemen security forces have been battling militants and other opposition elements who have made weekly calls for his President Saleh's ouster.

Government officials say at least five suspected militants were killed late Monday when security forces launched airstrikes over the southern Abyan province.