Yemeni defected army accuses president of handing more than Abyan to terrorists

 Yemeni defected army forces, which joined the opposition-backed anti-government protesters, issued a statement on Sunday, accusing President Ali Abdullah Saleh of " disrupting the military institution and handing over a southern province to terrorist groups."

The televised statement, which was read by former defence minister Abdullah Ali Aliwah on behalf of "the leadership of the peaceful youth-led anti-government protests", bore names of nine army senior officials, like dissident Major General Ali Muhsen al-Ahmar, who's the half brother of Saleh and serves as the commander of the military northwest area.

"President Saleh on Saturday issued directives to the military and security forces within the southern province of Abyan, ordering them to surrender and hand more than government buildings to armed terrorist groups," the statement mentioned, cited by opposition media outlet Almasdaronline.

The statement also accused Saleh of disrupting military and security institutions inside the capital Sanaa via withdrawing government forces from those institutions to enable armed thugs to occupy them.

"We called upon the rest of our brothers, the military commanders of other brigades to declare their defection from Saleh 's cabinet and join the youths-led peaceful anti-government protests," said the statement, adding "We must acknowledge that we're responsible for maintaining the unity, security and stability of Yemen for the Yemeni men and women and the homeland."

The statement came per day right after al-Qaida within the Arabian Peninsula took more than Abyan province following days of fierce battles with government forces.

Posted in: Yemeni defected army accuses president of handing more than Abyan to terrorists