Aides to Ali Abdullah Saleh said Monday that the ousted Yemeni president plans to go into exile in Ethiopia, as pressures mounted on him to depart the country for fear of sparking new cycles of violence. The aides said that the former president will leave Yemen within two days along with some of his family members. A diplomat in Sana'a confirmed that arrangements had been made for Saleh's departure for Ethiopia. On Saturday, newly inaugurated President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi was sworn in as president as part of a power-transfer deal that gave Saleh immunity from prosecution in exchange for stepping down. The deal aims to end a year of turmoil that left hundreds of protesters dead. Saleh left Yemen in June after being injured in a rocket attack on his palace. He received medical treatment in Saudi Arabia for three months. Three weeks ago Saleh went to the United States for more medical treatment, and again it was hoped that he would remain abroad. But he returned Saturday for Hadi's inauguration. Saleh stayed in Muscat in January for some days before he left for the US for treatment. “Two years from now, I will stand in the same place to transfer power to (another) newly elected president,” Hadi told Saleh. The ex-leader then handed him the Yemeni flag.
