Hadi raps Saleh and Houthis over Iran links
ADEN: President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who fled to Aden after escaping from Shiite militia controlling Sanaa, considers the southern port city to be Yemen’s capital, an aide said.
But tensions were running high in Aden, as special forces suspected of links to the militia known as Houthis readied defenses against an anticipated assault by Hadi loyalists.
“Aden became the capital of Yemen as soon as the Houthis occupied Sanaa,” the aide quoted Hadi as saying in reference to their takeover of Sanaa several months ago.
Hadi also accused ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh and the Houthis of links with Iran, and spoke of his escape from Sanaa and Houthi demands to integrate thousands of their militants into the army and police and secure top government posts.
His remarks about Aden reflect his determination to hold out against Houthi efforts to extend their influence.
Hadi said he escaped his Sanaa residence through a tunnel linking it to the nearby house of one of his sons and traveled to Aden using back roads.
Hadi said the Houthis had demanded 135 top government jobs and the vice presidency for one of their leaders, Saleh Al-Sammad.
They also demanded that 35,000 militiamen be integrated into the armed forces and 25,000 into the police.
Hadi accused Iran of links with the Houthis, saying 1,600 militia members are being trained in religious schools in the Iranian city of Qom.
He also accused Saleh, the ex-president who was forced out of power in 2012, of having urged Iran to persuade the Houthis to collaborate with him before they seized Sanaa.