Dubai: After the death of Yemeni strongman, Ali Abdullah Saleh, the question on everyone’s minds is who will be replacing him.
“Many are pointing to his son Ahmad as a potential candidate, which could allow for the continuity of Saleh’s position, including vis-a-vis any attempts at resolving the conflict,” said Miriam Eps, regional security analyst at Manama-based risk management consultancy Le Beck International.
Another one of Saleh’s sons, Salah Saleh, posted a call on his Facebook page for his allies to take up the fight against the rebels.
He also urged the United Arab Emirates to allow Saleh’s most prominent son, Ahmad Saleh, who headed the elite Republican Guard under his father’s rule, to return to Yemen and lead forces against Al Houthis.
When Saleh left power, he stayed in the country and kept the loyalty of many military commanders, splitting the armed forces between himself and Hadi.
Saleh’s forces were key to helping Al Houthis overrun Sana’a in 2014 and then much of the north and center of the country.
But over the past year, Al Houthis appear to have undermined Saleh, wooing away some of his commanders, strengthening their own fighters and reducing their need for him.
It appears that pushed Saleh into flirting with the coalition, ultimately leading to the breakdown of the alliance with Al Houthis and the recent outbreak of clashes.
