Reports: Saleh refuses to sign exit deal

01/05/2011| IslamWeb

The Yemeni president has refused to sign a Gulf Arab-led agreement to give up power in exchange for legal immunity, sources say.

Saturday's development was a new blow to efforts to mediate the months-old crisis between Ali Abdullah Saleh and demonstrators inspired by protests sweeping through the Arab region to demand his overthrow.

Abdul-Latif al-Zayyani, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which brokered the agreement, had flown to the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, on Saturday to urge Saleh to sign the deal.

Instead, he met high-level leaders of Saleh's governing political party and parliamentary bloc, where he was informed that Saleh had some reservations over the deal.

Al-Zayyani was not immediately available for comment.

While Yemen's opposition political parties have accepted the deal, many anti-government protesters have rejected it because of the fact that it will keep Saleh - in power for 32 years - from being tried.

They called for him to be put on trial for corruption and the deaths of an estimated 142 protesters since the opposition rallies began three months ago.

Fresh fatalities

Saturday's developments came amid reports of more deaths of anti-government protesters. Two soldiers and four civilians were killed and at least another 23 were wounded during a shutdown in southern Yemen, officials said.

The protesters in Aden were demanding Saleh's immediate overthrow and prosecution.

The defense ministry said an officer and a soldier were killed and two more soldiers were wounded, but gave no further details as tension mounted in the restive region.

Local officials said protesters opened fire on troops as they tried to dismantle roadblocks set up near Al-Mansura neighborhood in Aden to demonstrate against Saleh's government.

They said troops moved into the area from where they suspected the attack was launched and opened fire, killing at least three civilians and wounding at least another 15 more.

The casualties were taken to a hospital, a medical source said.

Another body was at a private hospital, raising the number of civilians killed in the area on Saturday to four, the sources said.

Tensions in Yemen have surged since assailants shot dead 12 protesters in Sanaa on Wednesday and the opposition warned that violence could derail the deal.

Tens of thousands of protests took to the streets across Yemen on Friday, vowing to stay there until Saleh quits his post, which he held since 1978.

"The people want the trial of the murderer," some anti-government demonstrators shouted.

PHOTO CAPTION

Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh points towards supporters during a rally in Sanaa April 29.2011.

Al-Jazeera