(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s long-expected exit from power finally happened last Friday after the attacks on the presidential palace.
But there are some points that must be examined in order to analyze the current situation of the country in the wake of this incident.
In recent weeks, the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) presented several plans to the Yemeni government in order to help it solve its problems. However, the plans failed due to Saleh’s objections. Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the most powerful nations in the PGCC, were very disappointed by the complex situation created by the unrest in Yemen.
The second point is that the attack on the Yemeni presidential palace created many questions and ambiguities. It is not clear whether the attack was conducted by opponents of the government or was planned by external powers. The attack was carried out using heavy mortars and other military weapons, and it could not have been conducted without well thought-out plans.
Bearing all this in mind, we can make a better analysis of Saleh’s departure from power. Given the failure of the PGCC’s proposals, the six-nation council was very discouraged by the situation in Yemen. This shows that there was a high possibility that the attack on Saleh’s residence was organized by external actors. That’s why the injured president quickly left for Saudi Arabia, ostensibly to receive medical treatment.
Therefore, it was an organized attack meant to control the crisis in Yemen and gradually pave the way for Saleh’s departure since the unrest could result in an armed conflict, like what is currently happening in Libya.
Now the situation is relatively calm and the PGCC plan is finally being implemented. Ali Abdullah Saleh is gone and his vice president is in charge.
The United States is also happy about the course of events because it appears that there is no chance for Saleh to return. And the U.S ambassador in Sanaa has already met the vice president.
The possibility of a civil war in Yemen depends on the actions of the vice president in the coming months. If he tries to meet the demands and fulfill the wishes of the opposition, Yemen will gradually emerge from the crisis. However, if he wants to continue the policies of the previous government, the opposition will also continue the uprising, and the probability of civil war will be greater than ever.
Mohammed Reza Forghani formerly served as Iran’s ambassador to Turkmenistan.