Washington denies a role in Yemeni unrest

Cairo: The Obama administration on Wednesday denied that it was interfering in Yemen’s escalating civil conflict, after supporters of the former Yemeni president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, accused the US ambassador to Yemen of demanding that Saleh leave the country.

A statement from Saleh’s political party posted on his Facebook page accused the ambassador, Matthew H. Tueller, of delivering a “warning” through an intermediary that Saleh would face international sanctions if he did not leave Yemen by Friday.

A State Department spokesman, Edgar Vasquez, called the accusations “completely false.” He said that the ambassador had never held meetings with officials of Saleh’s party, the General People’s Congress, “at which any such statements have been made.”

The stand-off highlighted the risks for the United States as it deepens its involvement in Yemen’s incendiary political situation. The crisis gathered pace in September after a rebel group known as the Houthis, seizing on popular anger against the government, took control of Sana’a, the Yemeni capital.

The rebels’ sudden rise has upended Yemen’s political order and challenged the authority of the current president, Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, an ally of the US who came to power two years ago after Saleh stepped down as part of an internationally brokered deal.

Saleh, who was president for 33 years and remains a powerful political broker, was widely suspected of aiding Al Houthis as they swept into the capital.

The Obama administration has blamed Al Houthi leaders and Saleh for stoking the latest instability. Last week, US officials asked the UN Security Council to impose sanctions — including a travel ban and an asset freeze — on Saleh and two Al Houthi leaders.

With their accusations on Wednesday, Saleh’s supporters seemed to suggest that the call for sanctions was simply being used as leverage by the United States to remove Saleh.

A UN diplomat said that the sanctions committee met on Tuesday and that there was “broad support” among the council members for the sanctions. Members have until Friday to raise objections.

On Wednesday, as members of Saleh’s party called for demonstrations against the US, Ahmad Al Sofi, a spokesman for the party, said that Saleh had no intention of leaving the country. “Even if Nasa offered a planet,” he said.