Yemeni Protesters Give VP 24 Hours Ultimatum to form Transitional Council

Yemen’s anti-government protesters warned they would form a transitional council to govern the country if the Vice President doesn’t establish such a body in 24 hours.

Members of the “revolution’s supreme coordination committee” made it clear that they were going to escalate their protests and demonstrations if their deadline is not met.

“We give the vice president a 24-hour deadline to form a transitional council; otherwise we will do it ourselves with the help of the youth”, a leading protester Yasser al-Ra’aini said in a press conference held in Sanaa.

“People want a transitional council,” protesters in the capital Sana’a and the western city of Ibb chanted on Monday, repeating their call for the establishment of a body to enable a prompt transfer of power to the people.

Embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh has been braced for anti-regime protests since late January.
Saleh has been in Saudi Arabia receiving medical treatment following an attack on the presidential palace in June 3.
He is reportedly in serious condition with burns covering 40 percent of his body.

However, Yemeni and Saudi officials insist that the 69-year-old Saleh’s condition is improving and that he will return to Yemen soon. The Yemeni Defense Ministry said on Monday Saleh would soon address the nation from Saudi Arabia.