Yemen’s ousted President criticises southern separatists at rally

Ex-leader Saleh accuses Vice President al-Beid of receiving Iranian funds Sanaa – Ali Rabea Ousted Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has made a bid to return to the political limelight at a thousands-strong rally in the country’s capital. Saleh defended President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi at the rally marking the first anniversary of him taking power following a 2011 revolution against the ousted leader.
“The unity of Yemen is not up for debate,” the former leader told thousands of supporters. Saleh called southern separatists “a minority” inside Yemen, meanwhile accusing Iran for arming and supporting armed groups looking to divide the country in two.
Saleh accused Vice President Ali Salem al-Beid of receiving financial support from Iran.
Condemning recent violent clashes between pro-secession demonstrations and security forces in Aden and Hadramout, Saleh called for “reconciliation and tolerance, turning a new page in Yemen’s history.”
The former President pledged his continued support for his successor.
Al-Qaeda militants inside Yemen have meanwhile denied a statement previously attributed to them, in which extremists allegedly threatened southern separatist opposition figures with murder.
The alleged al-Qaeda statement threatened opposition leaders pushing for secession, dubbing them “communists.”
The militant group called on television channels and newspapers to “commit to accuracy” before publishing “false statements” about it.
A Yemeni Islamist website published the statements earlier this week.