Millions of Yemenis take to the streets

Millions of people have taken to the streets of cities and towns in Yemen for “Friday of the Victory by God’s Will” demonstrations, which were organized by the Youth Revolutionist group.

Protesters held demonstrations in Sana’a, Taizz, Ibb, Ataq, Mar’ib, Al-Mukallah, and other towns to show their support for the popular revolution, the Press TV correspondent in Sana’a reported.

The Yemeni protesters called for the prosecution of Ali Abdullah Saleh and the leading figures of his regime and also expressed their support for the establishment of a national council to rule the country.

The Joint Meeting Parties opposition coalition plans to hold a meeting on August 17 to establish a national council, which the opposition says will unite and take charge of all revolutionary forces in Yemen and establish a new government.

On Friday, Yemeni Deputy Information Minister Abdu al-Janadi said that if the opposition groups establish a national council it would be viewed as a constitutional coup and a call for war.

In response to Janidi’s statement, Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar, a powerful tribal leader, and the tribal coalition formed a few weeks ago said that the revolutionaries would retaliate to any act of aggression against them.

Hundreds of thousands of people have turned out for regular demonstrations in Yemen’s major cities since January, calling for an end to corruption and unemployment and demanding the ouster of Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in office since 1978.

Hundreds of protesters have been killed and many more injured in the regime’s crackdown on Yemen’s popular uprising.

Meanwhile, Saleh is still convalescing in Saudi Arabia, where he travelled for medical treatment one day after he was injured in an attack on his presidential palace on June 3.