Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi on Thursday announced the restructuring of the army and defence ministry, in a bid to remove allies of former head of state Ali Abdullah Saleh, the country’s state television reported. Hadi took a series of drastic decisions on Wednesday, including one scrapping the elite Republican Guard which was under the command of Saleh’s oldest son Ahmed, the broadcaster said.
It was not yet clear whether Ahmed would remain in the defence ministry.
Mohsen Khosrouf, a retired army brigadier, said Wednesday’s moves were “the most important decisions” taken by Hadi and warned, “no one can resist these decisions because they are backed by international resolutions, and any challenge will be a challenge to international community.” Incumbent Hadi took over the reins of power in Yemen more than a year ago, after Saleh stepped down as part of a power transition agreement brokered by the US and neighbouring Gulf countries, following a year-long uprising against his rule.
Restructuring the army was a top demand by Yemenis after Saleh’s ouster in February, but Saleh is still in Yemen and many blame him for behind the scenes maneuvering to stall the new leadership’s reform efforts.
The moves on Wednesday come after thousands of Yemenis marched across the country on Friday, demanding more rapid reforms and the removal of Saleh’s aides from key government and military positions.
On Monday, a committee of National Dialogue by representatives from different political forces and NGOs said that the president should unify ranks of the army in order to proceed with national reconciliation.
