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Saleh pictured in April prior to an attack on his compound in June in which he was injured. AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen

President Saleh returns to Yemen amid expectation of more violence

Saleh’s return after more than three months in Saudi Arabia has confused matters in the violence-torn Arab nation.

PRESIDENT ALI ABDULLAH Saleh made a surprise return to Yemen today after more than three months of medical treatment in Saudi Arabia in a move certain to further enflame battles between forces loyal to him and his opponents that have turned the capital into a war zone.

Saleh immediately called for a cease-fire and said negotiations were the only way out of the crisis, his office said.

The statement, however, suggested he does not intend to step down immediately and was likely to only anger protesters who have been demanding his ouster for months and the military units and armed tribal fighters that back the opposition.

“His return means more divisions, more escalation and confrontations,” said Abdel-Hadi al-Azazi, a protest leader, told The Associated Press. “We are on a very critical escalation.”

Saleh’s return to Yemen could further damage already crumbling efforts by the United States and Saudi Arabia to work out a peaceful handover of power.

Washington is eager for some sort of post-Saleh stability in the strategically placed but deeply divided and impoverished nation in hopes of continuing an alliance against Al-Qaeda militants in Yemen — the terror network’s most active branch, blamed in several plots for attacks on US soil.

Both the US and Saudi Arabia were believed to be trying to keep Saleh from leaving Saudi Arabia.

Treatment

Saleh went to the kingdom for treatment after he was severely burned and wounded by a June 3 explosion at his presidential compound in the capital Sanaa.

His departure fueled hopes that he would be forced to step down, but instead he staunchly refused to resign, frustrating protesters who have been taking to the streets nearly daily since February demanding an end to his 33-year old rule.

As time passed and Saleh recuperated, he was widely expected to stay in the kingdom — and the timing of his return Friday was a surprise.

The crackle of gunfire continued to be heard over Sanaa even after the president’s office issued the cease-fire call.

This week, the long deadlock that endured even during Saleh’s absence broke down into the worst violence in months as forces loyal to the president’s son attacked protesters in the streets and battled troops led by one of the regime’s top rivals, Maj. Gen. Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, a former Saleh aide who joined the opposition early in the uprising.

Around 100 people have been killed the past week — mostly protesters as regime troops hit their gathering with shelling or barrages of sniper fire from rooftops.

Residents have been forced to hunker down in their homes or flee the city as the two sides exchanged bombardment over Sanaa from strongholds in the surrounding hills.

Fighting continues

The fighting continued even after Saleh returned at dawn Friday. Heavy clashes and thuds of mortars were heard throughout the night in Sanaa and into morning hours. One person was killed overnight after mortars hit the square in central Sanaa where protesters demanding Saleh’s ouster have been camped out for months, a medical official said on condition of anonymity.

By noon, thousands of Saleh supporters and opponents poured into the streets for parallel rallies in different parts of Sanaa during a lull in fighting. The rallies revolved around Friday prayers and also included funeral ceremonies for those from each side killed in the clashes.

Reflecting Yemen’s widening rift. each side blamed the other for igniting the latest violence.

At the pro-Saleh rally along Boulevard 70 in southern Sanaa, sermon leaders accused the opposition of attempting a coup and warned against civil war. Saleh’s supporters carried his pictures along with those of the Saudi king in a tribute to the neighboring country where Saleh was recovering. Some chanted, “We love you, Ali.”

At the opposition rally on Boulevard 60, demonstrators carried pictures of those killed in the violence as speakers urged security forces to stop killing their own people.

“So long as you are well, we are all well”

Yemeni TV announced his return Friday morning, but did not show any footage of him. It aired old footage of Saleh at public events along with images of fireworks and patriotic songs, accompanied by a scroll from the Interior Ministry, urging citizens not to fire celebratory gunfire in the air in their joy over Saleh’s return because the shooting was dangerous.

“So long as you are well, we are all well. Yemen is well,” one song ran.

The TV report said Saleh was in good health. Officials in his office confirmed that he had returned on a private plane. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have been trying to persuade Saleh to sign onto a deal proposed by Gulf Arab states, under which he would resign and hand power to his vice president to form a national unity government in return for immunity from any prosecution.

The mercurial Saleh has repeated promised to sign the agreement, then refused at the last minute.

The latest violence erupted after he recently delegated his vice president to restart negotiations with opponents on the deal. It was considered another stalling tactic by Saleh, and it was followed by a violent crackdown on protesters in Sanaa and other cities.

Yemen’s turmoil began in February as the unrest spreading throughout the Arab world set off largely peaceful protests in this deeply unstable corner of the Arabian Peninsula.

Saleh’s government responded with a heavy crackdown, with hundreds killed and thousands wounded so far.

Read more: Yemeni president’s face was ‘quite charred’ after attack on presidential palace

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    Mute John Fagan
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:45 AM

    If the DUP are criticising you then you know you are doing something right.

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    Mute A Well Known Comical Stereotype
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:33 AM

    Gary Lineker – my new favourite English footballer.

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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:39 PM

    @A Well Known Comical Stereotype: Thought the DUP were very busy looking through the Windsor Framework Agreement. Obviously not.

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    Mute Darren Lynch
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    Mar 9th 2023, 2:37 PM

    @A Well Known Comical Stereotype: na, he scored against us in the 1990 world cup. Cant forgive him!!!

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    Mute Bri Lyons
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:57 AM

    Pity the DUPs ancestors didn’t follow their own anti immigrant stance and not cross on boats to Ireland

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    Mute Con Cussed
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:42 AM

    Easy for the DUP to call him a lefty. Attila, the Hun is left of the DUP thinking.

    He’s on a free salary for not adhering to democratic principles and forming an Assembly.

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    Mute SquideyeMagpie
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:34 AM

    Wasn’t sure but now I know he was right

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    Mute Michael Garvey
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:41 AM

    @SquideyeMagpie: yup. Good old Gregory. Scandalous apparently to treat people in dire circumstances with basic compassion.

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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:14 PM

    The Tory Party and the BBC had no problem when Lineker criticised the Human rights record of Qatar which hosted the World Cup. Lineker now faces the Director General of the BBC Douglas Davie who was politically appointed by the Tory Party as he was a major financial donor to the Conservative Party. Seems free speech is a one way street at the BBB and the Tory government. Well done Gary Lineker.

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    Mute ConPhoto
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:44 AM

    something is wrong somewhere if a football pundit’s comment about an issue, is getting more coverage and reaction than that of the actual issue.
    Bear in mind the issue involves men, women and children’s lives.

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    Mute Owen G Mc Ginley
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:13 PM

    I suppose the DUP will now add this demand of a Salary reduction for Lineker, as the 8th test to be met for accepting the new Windsor Protocol Agreement

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    Mute Con Cussed
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    Mar 9th 2023, 2:00 PM

    @Owen G Mc Ginley: They are complaining about Lineker and his salary and the same person sits on his … and receives a salary for doing nothing! Unbelievable the way they preach what about, “Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you”?

    On the other sides, does this mean that the DUP will be moving back to Scotland via Rwanda?

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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    Mar 9th 2023, 6:45 PM

    @Owen G Mc Ginley: At lest Gary Lineker goes to work, unlike the DUP who refuses.

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    Mute Brian Boru
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:37 AM

    It’s not often I agree with the DUP!

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    Mute Con Cussed
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:43 AM

    @Brian Boru: Well says a lot about you!

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    Mute Ciaran Forde
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    Mar 9th 2023, 2:06 PM

    @Brian Boru: another boring comment from Brian Boru.

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    Mute Brian Boru
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    Mar 9th 2023, 4:38 PM

    @Ciaran Forde: You want everyone to have the same opinion, how boring is that.

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    Mute JustBEERbarry
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:37 AM

    Imagine the dup aren’t happy with something or someone. SEACHT

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    Mute A$AP ETH
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:49 PM

    Showing any bit of empathy these days is dismissed as ‘lefty’ behaviour. Sad.

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    Mute Karl Phillips
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:38 PM

    The DUP, squatters in another country. We are getting very near the F word folks.

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    Mute Leonard Barry
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:51 PM

    DUP and Braverman two of a kind!!!

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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:58 PM

    @Leonard Barry: agree, immigrants to another country

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    Mute John Mcmahon
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    Mar 9th 2023, 1:34 PM

    Always liked Gary Lineker being a Spurs fan
    But like him more now
    A nice human being

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    Mute Keth Warsaw
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:53 AM

    Champaign communist if ever, some might say. Not I, as I couldn’t care less about this milky minded individual locked tight within his guilded cage far away from reality of the normal hardworking joe.

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    Mute Tom Hogarty
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:25 PM

    @Keth Warsaw: what would it take for you to care less enough to hold off on the inane, uninteresting, bland and negative comments?

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    Mute Keth Warsaw
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    Mar 9th 2023, 1:35 PM

    @Tom Hogarty: I think calling my comments inane and uninteresting are a tad strong. Same comments grabbed your attention. As for negativity…I’d rather reflect the realities of life and build upon sound ground than be an idealistic dreamer building upon Sand. But I thank you for your interest in my bland comments.

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    Mute Calvin James
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:01 PM

    Waiting patiently for the free speech brigade to rally behind Gary

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    Mute Brian Dunne
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:14 PM

    @Calvin James: you mean the free speech brigade who are trying to tell him to shut up because they don’t agree with him?

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    Mute Jen Mc
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:26 PM

    @Calvin James: I think you’re confused as to who the free speech brigade are pal.

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    Mute A Well Known Comical Stereotype
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:45 PM

    The Tory “Stop the boats” slogan and the associated BS are carbon copies of the trick used in Australia by the Aussie Tories. Braverman’s “We will decide who comes to this country” is exactly what John Howard said. The attacks on Labour along the lines of ‘you won’t protect our borders’ is the same. It won a few elections for the Aussie Tories. I think this won’t be enough to save them in the next election but it might. It is outrageous.

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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:37 AM

    For a nano second i thought there might be something worth reporting here / something something the DUP / Immigration policies in the UK / Christ how lazy / bad are Irish media becoming / it’s not like there aren’t an enormous amount of very important issues facing Ireland daily / this is just lazy / go thru the motions posting of UK click bait nonsense

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:46 AM

    @Dave Hammond: Welcome, in case you’re wondering the toilet is all around you.

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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:58 PM

    @thesaltyurchin: cheers it’s the exit doors I’m looking for …

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    Mute A$AP ETH
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    Mar 9th 2023, 1:42 PM

    @Dave Hammond: tell you what, exit doors are on the way out.

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    Mute Keth Warsaw
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    Mar 9th 2023, 1:49 PM

    If he was an intellectual, I might take his comments seriously, and reflect upon them. But this is a former footballer who advertised crisps.

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    Mute Dick Barrett
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    Mar 9th 2023, 2:15 PM

    I would say that as Gary Lineker is a BBC sports and not a news commentator, he can say what he likes about other matters, even if what he says is a bit OTT like in this instance.

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    Mute Liam
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    Mar 9th 2023, 5:37 PM

    The DUP should help sprinkle the football pitches for the weekend matches with their tears.

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    Mute Michael Powell
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    Mar 9th 2023, 3:24 PM

    It will be interesting to see just how Foxy BBC is prepared to be about this.

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