The former president Ali Abdullah Saleh has demanded President Abdu Rabu Hadi to task the 1st brigade of the Republican Guard to guard him, a newspaper close to Saleh's family has said.
Al-Ola newspaper said Saleh asked Hadi to appoint his nephew Tariq Mohammad Abdullah Saleh as a commander of the brigade, indicating that Hadi refused the demands of Saleh, and that negotiations are still ongoing.
Hadi had appointed Tariq as a commander of the 37th Brigade in the southern governorate of Hadhramout, but he refused the decree and insisted to stay in his positions as a commander of the Special Forces and the 3rd Brigade.
On Tuesday, Saleh's half brother Mohammad Saleh Al-Ahmar handed over the command of the Air Forces to his successor Rashid Al-Janad after more than two weeks of refusal.
Saleh, who ruled Yemen for 33 years, appointed his relatives and supporters in senior ranks of the armed forces with. His elderly son, Ahmed and other allies remain in place as commanders of powerful military units.
Meanwhile, Reuters quoted Yemeni diplomatic sources as saying that Saleh will leave Yemen temporarily after Gulf states leaned on him to get out of the way of his successor to ease tension complicating efforts to stabilize the country.
According to Reuters, the diplomat expected Saleh to travel next week, probably to the United Arab Emirates, to allow recently elected President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to rule unhindered by his predecessor.
Yemeni media sources stated that Russia has agreed to host Saleh accused of opposition leaders of sparking impediments and problems to his successor.