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Yemen: Saleh now in Saudi Arabia - officials | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh has flown to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment, a day after he was wounded, Saudi officials say. | Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh has flown to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment, a day after he was wounded, Saudi officials say. |
Uncertainty surrounded Mr Saleh's whereabouts for much of Saturday. | Uncertainty surrounded Mr Saleh's whereabouts for much of Saturday. |
Sources in Yemen told the BBC that Mr Saleh had a piece of shrapnel below his heart and second-degree burns to his chest and face. | Sources in Yemen told the BBC that Mr Saleh had a piece of shrapnel below his heart and second-degree burns to his chest and face. |
An uprising demanding that Mr Saleh leave power has led to violence bringing Yemen close to civil war. | An uprising demanding that Mr Saleh leave power has led to violence bringing Yemen close to civil war. |
The Yemeni president arrived in the Saudi capital Riyadh aboard a Saudi medical plane. | The Yemeni president arrived in the Saudi capital Riyadh aboard a Saudi medical plane. |
A Gulf nation diplomatic source told BBC Arabic that the decision to transfer Mr Saleh to Riyadh was taken after Saudi doctors consulted with a German medical team. | A Gulf nation diplomatic source told BBC Arabic that the decision to transfer Mr Saleh to Riyadh was taken after Saudi doctors consulted with a German medical team. |
A source told Reuters news agency that Mr Saleh walked off the plane after arriving in Riyadh, but had visible wounds to his face, neck and head. | A source told Reuters news agency that Mr Saleh walked off the plane after arriving in Riyadh, but had visible wounds to his face, neck and head. |
A second plane carried members of the president's family, AFP news agency said, quoting an unnamed Saudi official. | A second plane carried members of the president's family, AFP news agency said, quoting an unnamed Saudi official. |
Ceasefire reported | Ceasefire reported |
Mr Saleh and several senior officials were praying at the al-Nahdayn mosque inside the presidential compound in the south of Sanaa on Friday afternoon at the time of the attack. | Mr Saleh and several senior officials were praying at the al-Nahdayn mosque inside the presidential compound in the south of Sanaa on Friday afternoon at the time of the attack. |
The mosque was originally thought to have been hit by rockets, but there are now suggestions someone may have planted a bomb there. | The mosque was originally thought to have been hit by rockets, but there are now suggestions someone may have planted a bomb there. |
The president broadcast an audio message on Friday after he was wounded but did not appeared in public. | The president broadcast an audio message on Friday after he was wounded but did not appeared in public. |
In the broadcast, he blamed the attack on an "outlaw gang" of his tribal foes - an accusation denied by Sheikh Sadeq al-Ahmar, the head of the Hashid tribal federation, whose fighters have been clashing with security forces. | In the broadcast, he blamed the attack on an "outlaw gang" of his tribal foes - an accusation denied by Sheikh Sadeq al-Ahmar, the head of the Hashid tribal federation, whose fighters have been clashing with security forces. |
More than 160 people have been killed in the fighting that began on 23 May and has brought Yemen to the brink of civil war. | More than 160 people have been killed in the fighting that began on 23 May and has brought Yemen to the brink of civil war. |
After reports of a Saudi-brokered ceasefire, Sanaa was calm for much of Saturday. | After reports of a Saudi-brokered ceasefire, Sanaa was calm for much of Saturday. |
But overnight fighting resumed, with the sounds of heavy shelling in the northern parts of the capital, freelance journalist Iona Craig, in Sanaa, told the BBC. | But overnight fighting resumed, with the sounds of heavy shelling in the northern parts of the capital, freelance journalist Iona Craig, in Sanaa, told the BBC. |
The prominent Ahmar family has been financing the opposition and helping sustain protesters, who have been demanding Mr Saleh's resignation since January despite a crackdown that has left at least 350 people dead. | The prominent Ahmar family has been financing the opposition and helping sustain protesters, who have been demanding Mr Saleh's resignation since January despite a crackdown that has left at least 350 people dead. |
Western and regional powers have been urging Mr Saleh to sign a Gulf Co-operation Council-brokered deal that would see him hand over power to his deputy in return for an amnesty from prosecution. | Western and regional powers have been urging Mr Saleh to sign a Gulf Co-operation Council-brokered deal that would see him hand over power to his deputy in return for an amnesty from prosecution. |
He has agreed to sign on several occasions, but then backed out. | He has agreed to sign on several occasions, but then backed out. |
With Mr Saleh out of the country, it is not clear who is in charge. The constitution calls for the vice president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, to take over, including command of the armed forces and security services. | With Mr Saleh out of the country, it is not clear who is in charge. The constitution calls for the vice president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, to take over, including command of the armed forces and security services. |
But Mr Saleh's son Ahmed commands the elite Republican Guard and other relatives control security and intelligence units. | But Mr Saleh's son Ahmed commands the elite Republican Guard and other relatives control security and intelligence units. |