Yemen’s Interior Ministry Confirms Abdullah Saleh’s Death (+Photos)

Yemen’s Interior Ministry, governed by the Supreme Political Council, issued a statement on Monday confirming the death of Saleh.

Reports also said that the ousted Yemeni president was fleeing to a UAE-held district in Ma’arib, carrying confidential documents.

Images circulating on social media also confirmed his death.

Recently, Abdelmalek al-Houthi, leader of the Yemen’s Houthi Ansarullah movement, criticized moves by supporters of Abdullah Saleh against the revolutionary movement, saying the “irresponsible” and “suspicious” behavior cannot be justified.

He added, “We were caught unawares by a wave of attacks by individuals affiliated with General People’s Congress party”.

Stressing that Yemen’s interests lie in avoiding sedition, the Houthi leader called on citizens and tribal fighters to focus on the battle against the invading Saudi regime and stay away from any provocative acts.

“I appeal to the leader Saleh to show more wisdom and maturity... not to heed incitement calls, and help restore security to the country through cooperation,” al-Houthi further said.

“Disagreements (between the two sides) can be settled through negotiation, and invaders and enemies will get the most out of the sedition,” he said, urging Saleh to abandon such “irresponsible” and “suspicious” moves.

The remarks came after Saleh supporters battled Houthi fighters for a fourth day in the capital Sana’a as the two sides traded blame for a rift between allies that could affect the course of a fight against the invading Saudi regime.

Residents of Sana’a described heavy fighting on the streets of Hadda, a southern residential district of the Yemeni capital where many of Saleh’s relatives, including his nephew Tareq, live, early on Saturday, with sounds of explosions and gunfire heard all over the area.

Saleh’s GPC party accused the Houthis of failing to honor the truce and claimed in a statement on its website that the Houthis bear responsibility for dragging the country into a civil war.

Later in the day, Saleh said he was ready for a “new page” in relations with the Saudi-led coalition pounding Yemen if it stopped attacks on his country.

“I call upon the brothers in neighboring states and the alliance to stop their aggression, lift the siege, open the airports and allow food aid and the saving of the wounded and we will turn a new page by virtue of our neighborliness,” Saleh said in a televised speech.

Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia and some of its Arab allies have been carrying out deadly airstrikes against the Houthi Ansarullah movement in an attempt to restore power to fugitive former president Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.

Over 14,000 Yemenis, including thousands of women and children, have lost their lives in the deadly military campaign.