Tribal chief Ahmar is 'new Saleh'

Sat May 28, 2011 11:58AM

Yemeni opposition tribal chief Sheikh Sadeq al-Ahmar is a new Ali Abdullah Saleh “coming out in the picture” and “asking for war” against the regime, a political analyst says.

“There is a new Saleh coming out in the picture, that's why things are happening in this way,” Nada Hashwi told Press TV in an interview.

The analyst explained that this means “he is getting paid to do so, or maybe, he just want to be the next Ali Abdullah Saleh that all the western countries and the Saudis are waiting for.”

Ahmar is the head of the powerful Hashid tribal federation, which was engaged in days of fierce fighting with government forces for five days.

The two sides agreed to a ceasefire on Friday after fierce clashes in the capital killed more than 100 people.

She described Saleh as “politically bankrupt,” adding that he has “nothing to give and take” and he is “nothing to the western world anymore.”

“They have somebody to replace him [Saleh],” Hashwi said.

However, with Saleh leaving lots of blood behind him, “it's not going to happen with a nice smile,” she added.

On behalf of anti-government protestors, Hashwi said that they want things to end peacefully in order to avoid another Libya.

REZ/PKH/AKM