Amid amounting international and regional pressures on the former President Ali Abdullah Saleh to leave Yemen, he agreed to live in exile in a neighboring Gulf state, however, he stipulated that his tribal and military foes leave as well, Al-Kalij newspaper reported citing close sources from Saleh.
Saleh has set conditions for his departure including that Sadeq al-Ahmar, the powerful tribal chief of Hashed Tribal Confederation, Hamid al-Ahmar, Sadeq's younger brother and a prominent businessman, and Gen. Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, the commander of the First Armored Division who was once his biggest ally, leave the country as well.
Sources have denied the media reports claiming that Saleh requested a written acceptance from the UAE government in order to leave Yemen, saying such reports are baseless and lack credibility.
Convinced by Saudi Arabia, and US, the UAE has accepted Saleh to live in it, but Saleh appears to be reluctant to leave Yemen as long as his opponents still in the country.
Saleh, 70, ruled Yemen for over 33 years during which Yemen has witnessed significant deterioration in the living standards as well as in the economy.
He took office in 1979 as the President of the North Yemen, and became the President of the united Yemen after the unification agreement between him and the former southern leader Ali Salem al-Biydh.
Being very careful of the military coups, Saleh placed his relatives and aides at the helm of all military institutions. Take his eldest son, Ahmed, for example, is the head of the Republican Guards, the best trained and equipped military troops in the country.