Yemen Update

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets during Friday prayers in the Yemeni capital Sanaa in protest against the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Protester Nezar Salem said peaceful demonstrations would continue despite attempts to turn rallies violent by the opposition. “We want to send a message to the remains of the family of the regime that we are continuing our peaceful revolution. We will end our revolution peacefully God willing. Despite their attempts to drag us into violence and use force, we will continue being peaceful,” Nezar said. Another protester at the demonstration, Ahmed Hassan voiced a similar sentiment of peaceful progress. Demonstrators have grown increasingly frustrated by their inability to loosen Saleh s grip on power. Saleh, recovering in Saudi Arabia from a June assassination attempt, is holding on to power despite international pressure to quit and eight months of protests against his 33-year rule. The United States and Saudi Arabia fear unrest in Yemen will embolden al Qaeda s Yemen-based regional wing to launch strikes on the region and beyond. In other parts of the capital thousands of others gathered to express their support of President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s rule. Mohammed Yehia al Hakimi who was taking part in the pro-government rally said he had travelled from another city to support the constitutional legitimacy of Saleh’s rule.