YEMEN – Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has fired his cabinet amid continuing protests against his rule.
The announcement came after tens of thousands of people turned out at funerals for dozens of protesters shot dead on Friday.
Earlier, Yemen’s ambassador to the UN became the latest official to resign in protest at the killings.
At least 45 people were killed on Friday after gunmen in civilian clothes fired on an anti-government rally.
Despite firing his government, President Saleh has asked the cabinet to remain in place until a new one could be appointed, Yemen’s official news agency reported.
President Saleh has faced a string of resignations over Friday’s crackdown, which have caused widespread anger in Yemen.
The resignation by Yemen’s ambassador to the UN, Abdullah Alsaidi, followed those of the ministers for human rights and tourism, several senior ruling party officials, the head of the state news agency, and the Yemeni ambassador to Lebanon.
Mourners in the capital, Sanaa, gathered today in a square near Sanaa University.
The university was at the centre of Friday’s crackdown, and bodies of many of the victims were laid out as people paid their respects. (BBC)
