Yemen Prez Saleh, family flee to Saudi Arabia

Riyadh, Jun 5: Amidst the surging protest in the country, Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was wounded during the opposition tribal army's shell attack on palace, flew to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment.

Saudi Arabia's ruling party on Sunday, Jun 5 officially confirmed that Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived in the country on late Saturday night. The Saudi Arabian government also said that Vice President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi was assigned to run state affairs in the absence of Saleh.

"President Saleh arrived in Riyadh along with a number of high-ranking government officials, who were wounded after a shell hit a mosque inside the presidential palace in south of the capital Sanaa," the ruling General Peoples' Congress party's online website said.

Yemen media reported that President, his family and high ranked officials fled in a medical plane sent by Saudi Arabia.

Local media also reported that streets of Sanaa, the capital city of Yemen, were quiet on Sunday. Since last week, Sanaa has been witnessing bloody clash between government troops and protesters demanding Saleh's resignation.

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