General

First Tunisia, then Egypt, and now Yemen

Thousands gather to protest Yemeni government

Yemen is now the latest Arab state to see mass protests in its cities’ streets. On Thursday, led by opposition groups, at least 10,000 people gathered in the streets of Sana, Yemen to protest the government. In contrast to the violent demonstrations in Tunis and Cairo, the march in Sana was relatively peaceful, with carefully organized opposition factions marching in color-coordinated groups. The government reportedly dispatched a large number of security forces into the capital’s streets, while publicly denying it did so. Protestors are calling for the removal of President Ali Abdallah Saleh, who has ruled a divided Yemen for more than 30 years and is a key ally of the U.S. in the war on terror. He responded to the unrest by raising salaries for the army. Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the world and is rocked by regional divisions and active al-Qaeda elements throughout the country.

New York Times

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