Yemen opposition claims foiling bid on key dissident's life

6 November 2011

Yemen's opposition on Sunday accused President Ali Abdullah Saleh's troops of attempting to kill a key defector, General Ali Mohssen al-Ahmar, during prayers marking the festival of Eid al-Adha, DPA reported.

The army's dissident First Division led by al-Ahmar said it had seized a truck loaded with explosives and intended to target him during Sunday's prayers in the capital Sana'a.

Al-Ahmar sided with anti-Saleh protesters in March and since then his forces have occasionally clashed with government troops.

"(Those) arrested in the aborted attempt admitted to having been tasked with the assassination of al-Ahmar by senior military and security commanders," the opposition website Mareb Press quoted a statement from the First Division as saying.

There was no immediate comment from the government.

In an address late Saturday marking Eid al-Adha, Saleh called his opponents "delusional and rancorous."

Millions of Yemenis have taken to the streets since February, demanding an end to Saleh's 33-year rule.