Yemen’s ousted dictator vows to return to Yemen ‘soon’

Yemen’s Ali Abdullah Saleh says he will “soon” return to his country from Saudi Arabia, despite growing protests by the Yemeni people demanding him to step down.

In a speech from the Saudi capital, Riyadh, aired on Yemen’s state television on Tuesday, Saleh said to his supporters that he would see them “soon in the capital Sana’a,” AFP reported.

Saleh described the Yemeni opposition as “figures of narrow interests and thinking,” and accused them of “stealing” the slogans of young anti-government protesters who have been calling for his ouster since January.

Saleh and five other high-ranking officials fled to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment following a rocket attack on the Yemeni presidential palace in Sana’a on June 3.

The Yemeni anti-government youth groups have set up a transitional council to manage the country’s affairs and to make efforts to force Saleh to give up power before his possible return from Saudi Arabia.

Protesters in Yemen have vowed to continue their rallies through the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan until their demands are met.

Hundreds of people have been killed and many more injured in the country since January as a result of the brutal crackdown on anti-government protests by military forces and bands of thugs loyal to Saleh.