The airport in Yemen’s capital reopened on Sunday after a one-day shutdown over threats from loyalists of a sacked general close to former strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh, as Washington praised new President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi. “The airport has opened after we have received reassurances from the air force that there will be no threats to aviation,” an aviation official said. “We are now preparing for the first flight” to take off since forces loyal to Saleh’s half-brother, General Mohammed Saleh al-Ahmar, who has refused to quit after being sacked by Hadi, surrounded the airport late on Friday. The general manager of Sanaa International Airport, Naji al-Murqab, told the defence ministry’s news website 26sep.net that “all airlines were informed that the airport will receive incoming flights after all problems and obstacles which were threatening planes were resolved.” A military source said on Saturday that Ahmar had refused to go unless the defence minister and other senior officials also step down.
