Jubilant crowds took to the streets in Yemen over the weekend, celebrating the departure of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Following a rocket attack on his compound on Friday, Saleh was flown to the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh on Saturday to have wood splinters surgically removed from his chest. Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi has taken over for the interim, and international leaders are calling on Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down. But it’s unclear whether the man who ruled the country with an iron fist for 33 years will try to return — and if not, what will happen in the power vacuum. Hakim Almasmari, Editor-in-Chief of the Yemen Post, is in Sanaa. He says people are worried that Saleh’s family may try to take control. Ambassador Barbara K. Bodine, former U.S. Ambassador to Yemen (1997-2001) and Diplomat in Residence at Princeton University says while she doesn’t see an anti-American government coming to power, the U.S. will need to broaden its focus if it wants to prevent al-Qaida from wreaking havoc in the interim.
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.