Yemenis hold fresh anti-Saleh protests

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters have once again taken to the streets across Yemen on a day of loyalty to the revolution’s goals.

Following the Friday prayers, demonstrators rallied in several cities including Taizz, Ibb, Bayda and the capital Sana’a, a Press TV report said.

Calling for the establishment of a new and modern Yemen, protesters across the nation renewed their call for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to surrender all power.

Saleh currently remains in Saudi Arabia, where he is allegedly being treated for injuries he reportedly suffered in an attack on the Yemeni presidential palace on Friday, June 3.

Official sources had originally said that President Saleh would return back to the country within a matter of days. However opposition groups believe that with his departure, Saleh’s 33-year rule has come to an abrupt end.

The protesters are now demanding the formation of a transitional presidential council in the country.

They have also slammed Saudi Arabia and the United States for their meddling in the Arab country.

On Friday, a security official in the Abyan governate in southern Yemen said a US drone aircraft had attacked what they called al-Qaeda fighters in the town of Jaar, killing three people.

Pentagon officials could not be reached to comment about the reported strike, The Wall Street Journal said.

The US military has secretly stepped up strikes against so-called al-Qaeda targets in Yemen in recent weeks using manned and unmanned aircraft, officials say.

Yemen has been rocked by anti-government protests since January.

During the past five months, hundreds of people have been killed and many more injured by forces loyal to Saleh’s US-backed regime.

Reports say that Yemeni authorities are now trying to move Saleh’s family members from Sana’a to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.