Saleh’s family preventing vice-president from taking full power

June 6th, 2011 - 7:15 pm ICT by IANS  

Riyadh, June 6 (IANS/AKI) Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh’s family is working to prevent the country’s vice president from taking full power while he is in neighbouring Saudi Arabia recovering from chest wounds, said pan-Arab newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi.

Saleh was injured during Friday’s attack on the presidential palace.

Saleh’s sons and grandchildren, who occupy important posts in the Yemeni government, are keeping vice president Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi from taking control of the presidential palace or the military, the newspaper report said.

Saleh’s eldest son Amad Ali heads the presidential guards - the military unit closest to Saleh - while his grandsons lead the national police and army.

The Yemeni leader had three operations in Saudi capital Riyadh late Sunday after being injured in a rocket attack in the presidential palace. He intends to return to Yemen in about two weeks after recovering from the surgery, al-Quds al-Arabi reported, citing unnamed Yemeni government sources.

Surgeons removed shrapnel for Saleh’s chest and repaired nerve damage in Saleh’s neck. A third operation involved plastic surgery, according to the London-based daily.

Friday’s attack came after days of deadly street battles in Sana’a between government forces and fighters loyal to Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar, head of the powerful Hashid tribal confederation.

–IANS/AKI
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