Skip to main content
International

Army Commanders Defect in Yemen

As tanks deploy in capital.

cheats/2011/03/21/army-commanders-defect-in-yemen/yemen-protests-2_rdfdrd

Hani Mohammed / AP Photo

Libya may be getting most of the attention, but keep an eye on Yemen: Three army commanders, including a top general, have defected to the opposition. The general, Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, was close to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. “We announce we support and protect the youths who are protesting at University Square in Sana'a," al-Ahmar said in a statement. Saleh responded to al-Ahmar’s announcement by deploying tanks in Sana'a. On Sunday, Saleh sacked his entire cabinet. Several Yemeni officials have also resigned since the government killed 45 protesters Friday.

Read it at BBC

TRENDING NOW