Yemen's Saleh urges attacks on Saudi

Deposed former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh urged his supporters yesterday to deploy at least 400,000 fighters to fronts along the border with Saudi Arabia and to secure the capital city Sana’a, held by his Iran-backed Shia Houthi allies.

This call was made before a gathering of General People’s Congress Party members in Sana’a, according to the party’s website.

Saleh said: “I call on the Sana’a municipality and all municipalities to supply the fronts with fighters and to point our guns, rifles, and cannons at the fronts…on the border with Saudi Arabia.”

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He urged his supporters to head towards the fighting fronts, stating: “You have tough fighters affected by [Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour] Hadi’s restructuring. They are the military officers and soldiers who are now in their homes, and I know them well. There are 400,000 of them, not one or two thousand. Carry your weapons and head to the fronts.”

The former Yemeni president also called on the government that is allied with him and the Houthis, which is not internationally recognised, to support the fighters with transport and equipment, noting that this will “change the balance of the war.”