Yemenis rally in protest to US meddling, urge Sana’a to cut US ties

July 27, 2012

Yemenis have staged an anti-US demonstration in the northern city of Sa'ada to protest against Washington’s interference in their country’s internal affairs.

Thousands of Yemenis took to the streets in Sa’ada on Friday to show anger with US meddling and urged the government to sever all ties with Washington.

They also accused Saudi Arabia of interfering in Yemen’s affairs.

Meanwhile, thousands of Yemenis took to the streets in the capital, Sana'a and several other cities, to demand the removal of relatives of deposed leader Ali Abdullah Saleh from power positions in the government, the military and security apparatus.

They also called for the prosecution of Saleh and his aides over the killing of nearly 2,000 protesters during the country's revolution last year.

Saleh, who ruled Yemen for 33 years, stepped down under a US-backed power transfer deal in February in return for immunity, after nearly a year of mass street protests against his rule.

He was replaced by his deputy Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi in a single-candidate presidential election backed by the US and Saudi Arabia.

In a bid to end anti-Saleh protest rallies, Yemeni President Hadi in April replaced nearly 20 senior military generals, including air force commander General Mohammed Saleh al-Ahmar, a half brother of Saleh, and the commander of Presidential Guard General Tariq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, who is a nephew of Saleh.

Saleh's nephew Yahya, who commanded the Central Security Services, was also dismissed from his post in March shortly after more than 90 soldiers were killed and many others injured in a bomb blast targeting troops rehearsing for a military parade to celebrate Yemen's National Unity Day.