Yemen's president says Huthi decisions 'null, illegitimate'
A Hadi aide said earlier the president's resignation last month was tendered under pressure
Hadi said "all measures and appointments made since September 21 are null and illegitimate", and urged the international community to "reject the coup" by the militia. PHOTO: REUTERS.
ADEN:
Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi on Saturday dismissed all measures taken by the Shia Huthi militia as "null and illegitimate", in his first public comments since fleeing house arrest in Sanaa.
In a statement he signed as president, in an apparent retraction of a previous offer to resign, Hadi said "all measures and appointments made since September 21 are null and illegitimate", and urged the international community to "reject the coup" by the militia.
A Hadi aide had said earlier that the president's resignation last month was tendered under pressure from the militia who had overran the capital on September 21.
The Houthi movement had proceeded to dissolve the parliament last month before announcing that a new interim assembly would be formed which will elect a five-member interim presidential council to manage the country’s affairs.
In a “constitutional declaration”, the Huthi militia also said it would set up a national council of 551 members to replace parliament following months of turmoil.
The Huthis had at the time set a three-day deadline for the parties to resolve the power vacuum, and warned that failure by the political parties to do so would prompt it and its allies to decide the future course of events.
Yemen has been in political limbo since President Hadi and the government of Prime Minister Khaled Bahah resigned after the Houthis seized the presidential palace and confined the head of state to his residence in a struggle to tighten control.
Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi on Saturday dismissed all measures taken by the Shia Huthi militia as "null and illegitimate", in his first public comments since fleeing house arrest in Sanaa.
In a statement he signed as president, in an apparent retraction of a previous offer to resign, Hadi said "all measures and appointments made since September 21 are null and illegitimate", and urged the international community to "reject the coup" by the militia.
A Hadi aide had said earlier that the president's resignation last month was tendered under pressure from the militia who had overran the capital on September 21.
The Houthi movement had proceeded to dissolve the parliament last month before announcing that a new interim assembly would be formed which will elect a five-member interim presidential council to manage the country’s affairs.
In a “constitutional declaration”, the Huthi militia also said it would set up a national council of 551 members to replace parliament following months of turmoil.
The Huthis had at the time set a three-day deadline for the parties to resolve the power vacuum, and warned that failure by the political parties to do so would prompt it and its allies to decide the future course of events.
Yemen has been in political limbo since President Hadi and the government of Prime Minister Khaled Bahah resigned after the Houthis seized the presidential palace and confined the head of state to his residence in a struggle to tighten control.