Former Yemen president flees capital after release by Houthi rebels

Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who resigned last month under pressure from Shiite militia, left Sanaa on Saturday after weeks under effective house arrest. Hadi arrived in the main southern city of Aden, where his supporters have refused to recognise the authority of the presidential council installed by the Houthi militia to replace him. He travelled overland in a convoy of dozens of vehicles, passing through third city Taiz, which like Aden is outside Houthi control.

He managed to leave his house this morning and his way is being secured to reach Aden.

Aide to Hadi, speaking to AFP

It was not immediately clear whether the Houthis had allowed him to leave in the face of demands by the UN Security Council for an immediate end to his house arrest. An aide insisted that Hadi left “without an arrangement or even informing any of the political parties”. The Huthis have pushed their advance into mainly Sunni areas south and west of Sanaa, where they have met with fierce resistance from armed tribesmen and Al-Qaeda militants.

Middle East Yemen