Yemen President Says Only Poll Defeat Will Make Him Leave

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(RFE/RL) — Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in power since 1978 but is facing growing calls to step down, says that only defeat at the ballot box will make him quit.

Saleh told reporters that if “they want me to quit, I will only leave through the ballot box.”

Yemen
Yemen

His comments came as thousands of protesters gathered outside Sanaa University again on February 21 to demand his resignation.

The same day in the southern city of Aden, security forces shot and killed one protester and wounded four others.

The death brings to 12 the number of people killed in unrest in Yemen since February 17.

Reports said the youth died when soldiers opened fire at protesters who were throwing stones at their patrol.

RFE RL

RFE/RL journalists report the news in 21 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established.

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