Who is saleh yemen

Saudi Arabia responded by expelling more than a million Yemeni workers from the Kingdom, depriving countless Yemeni families of vital remittances.

After the September 11 attacks, Saleh tried to position himself as an important ally of the United States. He allowed American drone aircrafts to kill alleged al-Qaeda targets on Yemeni soil, and in return, Yemen became the recipient of tens of millions of dollars in American aid. At the onset of the uprising, Yemen was one of the poorest countries in the world, with widespread unemployment and persistent inflation, its billions of dollars in oil revenues embezzled or wasted.

As the protest movement grew, Saleh failed to stave off accusations that he was seeking constitutional amendments, one of which included amending the presidential term of office from five to seven years. This prompted speculation that Saleh wanted to remain in office until , allowing his son Ahmed to reach the age of 40 — the minimum age for a Yemeni to become president — as per the constitution.

Demonstrations also spread to several other Yemeni cities, with the southern city of Taiz emerging as an epicentre. When the turnout at some rallies reached hundreds of thousands of people, several high-ranking military officers deserted Saleh. Tensions mounted further after a particularly brutal crackdown on March 18, when at least 50 protesters were killed by snipers in Sanaa.

General Ali Mohsen Saleh was the first to go. He ordered the troops under his command to protect the protesters. Hamid al-Ahmar, a prominent businessman, was seen as a possible successor to Saleh, while his brother, Hussein al-Ahmar, quit the ruling party in February and publicly rebuked Saleh. In the early days of the protests, he portrayed the opposition as a conspiracy to destroy the country — a theme he repeatedly used during his decades in power. Saleh later offered to step down, promising to hand power over to a civilian government.

That leaves the option of doubling down militarily or opening direct negotiations with the Houthis. The former has achieved inconclusive results at best to date and will likely increase the humanitarian suffering for minimal results. The latter course will be politically humiliating but likely achieve a more lasting and humane outcome. View the discussion thread. Rodger Shanahan. Related Content. When the Houthis attacked Sanaa in and swept Hadi into Saudi exile, Riyadh began the bombing campaign that continues today.

At that time, Saleh took one of the riskiest gambles of his turbulent career, allying himself to the Houthis, heirs to a theocratic sect that ruled Yemen for a thousand years. Saleh loyalists itched for revenge, they said. Gerald Feierstein, a former U. On November 29, tensions exploded. Rumors swirled in the city of Sanaa that the Houthis were planning to paint the domes of a giant mosque and palace that Saleh had built and named after himself in their trademark green. A year of war that has set Yemen back decades.

Yemen's civilians pay price of blockade. Yemen conflict: The view from the Saudi side. Meeting the Houthis - and their enemies. Image source, EPA. Ali Abdullah Saleh became an ally of the Houthis after Yemen's civil war began in Yemen's future looks grim after Saleh's killing. How did the rebel infighting start? How did Mr Saleh die? Image source, AFP. Houthi fighters attacked and took control of Mr Saleh's home in central Sanaa on Monday. What was the reaction to the news?

Image source, Reuters. Dozens of people reportedly died in clashes over the weekend. Yemen: Finding near-famine - and lots of food Civilians pay price of blockade. What impact will this have on the civil war? Why were Mr Saleh and the Houthis allies?