Sunday, April 24, 2011

President Saleh agrees to step down

President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen has agreed to step down under a 30-day transition plan aimed at ending violent unrest over his 32-year rule.Officials in the capital Sanaa confirmed the government had accepted the plan.
Undeer the plan proposed by Saudi Arabia and five other states Saleh will hand over power within a month to his Vice-President, Abdu Rabu Manur Hadi. Also he will appoint an opposition leader to form an interim  governmen that will prepare presidential elections to be held two months later. Furthermore Saleh and his family will be granted immunity from prosecution.

Hundreds of thousands of people attended a rally in support of Mr Saleh in Sanaa on Friday but comparable numbers turned out for demonstrations against him in both the capital and the southern city of Taiz. On Saturday, a general strike called by the opposition caused disruption in Taiz, the port city of Aden and other towns, although apparently it had little effect in the capital.
At least 120 people have died during two months of protests.

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