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Injured Yemeni President Arrives in Saudi Arabia


Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh (File Photo)
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh (File Photo)

Saudi officials said Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh has arrived in Saudi Arabia for treatment of injuries he received in a rocket attack on Friday.

Yemeni state media said Saturday the country's prime minister and at least four other high-ranking officials had traveled to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment after they too were wounded in the attack on the presidential compound in Sana'a. It is unclear how badly the Yemeni leaders were hurt.

Earlier Saturday, Yemeni government officials and rebel tribesmen agreed to a new cease-fire brokered by Saudi Arabia.

Representatives of both sides said they will accept the plan. Just a week ago, a similar truce quickly collapsed in renewed fighting between President Saleh's forces and loyalists to an opposition tribal leader, Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar.

Clashes continued Saturday in Sana'a, where Mr. Saleh's forces have been shelling the homes of anti-government leaders. The home base of al-Ahmar was among those targeted.

Tribal officials said 10 people were killed and 35 wounded in the government's shelling of al-Ahmar's neighborhood.

Separately, government and opposition leaders say security forces have withdrawn from the southern city of Taiz, a flashpoint of anti-government protests. The Reuters news agency quotes an opposition leader as saying looting and other unrest have been spreading in the city since the forces pulled out.

The ongoing conflict between forces loyal to Mr. Saleh and anti-government rebels has led to to fears the country may be on the brink of civil war. Mr. Saleh has three times over the past several weeks defied an accord negotiated by the Gulf Cooperation Council to would end his 33-year reign.

Nearly 400 people have been killed since the popular uprising against Mr. Saleh began in January.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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