Timeline Yemeni Revolution

1 timeline

1.1 protests
1.2 mediation attempts
1.3 uprising
1.4 presidential palace assassination attempt
1.5 return of ali abdullah saleh
1.6 power-transfer deal

timeline

protests

some of yemeni protests @ sana university demanding dissolution of current ruling party , calling president resign.

in january 2011, shortly after popular ouster of tunisian government, major street protests materialized in sana a, yemeni capital, demand governmental changes. protests spread traditionally restive south, particularly aggressive protests in cities aden , ta izz. initially, demonstrators protested against plan amend constitution , on country s sluggish economy , high jobless rates. however, protests grew larger late january , took on increasingly pointed tone of criticism toward president ali abdullah saleh, many demonstrators beginning call openly new leadership in yemen. including @ least 10,000 @ sana university.

by february, opposition leader tawakel karman called day of rage in mold of mass nationwide demonstrations helped topple government of tunisia , put pressure on government of president hosni mubarak in egypt. protest drew more 20,000 participants, show of force saleh s supporters. security forces responded protests in aden live ammunition , tear gas. after mubarak quit power in egypt, demonstrators celebrating revolution , calling similar uprising in yemen attacked police , pro-saleh tribesmen. clerics called national unity government , elections held in 6 months in effort quell violence , place members of opposition in government. later in month, deaths reported in ta izz , aden after security forces attacked protesters lethal force. end of february, several major tribes in yemen had joined anti-government protests , protests swelled in size on 100,000 on several days. saleh called national unity government, opposition leaders rejected proposal , called saleh step down immediately.

in march, opposition groups presented proposal see saleh leave power peacefully, saleh refused accept it. number of prominent yemeni government officials resigned on violence used disperse protests. on 18 march 45 protesters shot dead in sana a, incident prompted declaration of state of emergency , international condemnation. several days later, saleh indicated willing leave power end of year or sooner, later affirmed not step down. end of march, 6 of yemen s 18 governorates out of government s control, officials said.

mediation attempts

in april, gulf co-operation council attempted mediate end crisis, drafting several proposals transition of power. toward end of month, saleh signaled accept plan see him leave power 1 month after signing , provided national unity government in lead-up elections. end of month, though, saleh reversed course , government announced not sign it, putting gcc initiative on hold.

in may, officials again indicated saleh sign gcc deal, , opposition agreed sign if saleh signed in capacity president. however, saleh again backed away, saying deal did not require signature, , opposition followed suit, accusing saleh of negotiating in bad faith. protests , violence across country intensified in wake of second reversal saleh.

in late may, opposition leaders received assurances saleh sign gcc plan after all, , signed deal day before president scheduled ink well. saleh once again decided not sign, , brief tense standoff occurred on 22 may when saleh s supporters surrounded embassy building of united arab emirates in sana a, trapping international diplomats (including secretary-general of gcc) inside until government dispatched helicopter ferry them presidential palace.

uprising


territory , areas of influence rebels (blue) , islamists (red) in yemen s uprising, of 23 october 2011.

on 23 may, day after saleh refused sign transition agreement, sheikh sadiq al-ahmar, head of hashid tribal federation, 1 of powerful tribes in country, declared support opposition , armed supporters came conflict loyalist security forces in capital sana after saleh ordered al-ahmar s arrest. heavy street fighting ensued, included artillery , mortar shelling. militiamen had surrounded , blocked off several government buildings in capital , people on ground reporting looked situation deteriorating civil war.

as situation in sana developing, 300 islamic militants attacked , captured coastal city of zinjibar (population 20,000) (see battle of zinjibar). during takeover of town, militants killed 5 policemen, including high-ranking officer, , 1 civilian. 2 more soldiers killed in clashes militants in loder.

on day 3 of fighting, military units defected opposition hit first time mortar fire killing 3 soldiers , wounding 10. evening, reported tribesmen took control of interior ministry building, saba state news agency, , national airline building.

a ceasefire announced late on 27 may, al-ahmar, , next day, truce established.

opposition demonstrators had occupied main square of ta izz since start of uprising against rule of president saleh. protests part peaceful. however, changed on 29 may, when military started operation crush protests , clear demonstrators camp @ square. troops reportedly fired live ammunition , water cannons on protesters, burned tents , bulldozers ran on of them. opposition described event massacre. (see 2011 ta izz clashes)

however, 31 may, ceasefire had broken down , street fighting continued in sana a. tribesmen had taken control of both headquarters of ruling general people s congress (yemen) , main offices of water utility.

on 1 june, units of loyalist presidential guard, commanded 1 of saleh s sons, shelled headquarters of army brigade belonging defected 1st armored division, though defected military units holding neutral position in conflict between loyalists , tribesmen. worst of fighting in northern hassaba neighborhood, tribal fighters seized number of government ministries , buildings. government artillery fire heavily damaged house of al-ahmar , government cut area s electricity , water supplies. government units, led 1 of saleh s sons, , loyalist special forces attacked failed recapture hassaba administrative building. tribal fighters seized office of general prosecutor in city s northwest. backed 2 armored vehicles 1st armored division. interior ministry stated tribesmen had captured five-story building in pro-saleh hadda neighborhood. during 24 hours since breakdown of ceasefire, 47 people killed on both sides during heavy street fighting, including 15 tribesmen , 14 soldiers.

presidential palace assassination attempt

on 3 june, bombing @ presidential palace left saleh injured , 7 other top government officials wounded. saleh, prime minister, deputy prime minister, parliament chief, governor of sana , presidential aide wounded while praying @ mosque inside palace compound. saleh said injured in neck , treated on scene; later reports indicated wounds far more severe – including collapsed lung , burns on 40% of body. 4 presidential guards , sheikh ali mohsen al-matari, imam @ mosque, killed.

protesters in sana‘a.

as saleh flew saudi capital of riyadh surgery on 4 june, cease-fire brokered saudi arabia s king abdullah. vice president abd al-rab mansur al-hadi took on acting president , supreme commander of armed forces. despite ceasefire, sporadic violence continued in capital. saleh s powerful sons remained in yemen instead of traveling saudi arabia father.

in july government rejected opposition s demands, including formation of transitional council goal of formally transferring power current administration caretaker government intended oversee yemen s first-ever democratic elections. in response, factions of opposition announced formation of own 17-member transitional council on 16 july, though joint meeting parties have functioned umbrella many of yemeni opposition groups during uprising said council did not represent them , did not match plan country.

on 6 august, saleh left hospital in saudi arabia, did not return yemen.

on 18 september troops loyal president saleh opened fire on protesters in sanaa, killing @ least 26 people , injuring hundreds. witnesses said security forces , armed civilians opened fire on protesters left change square, had camped since february demanding regime change, , marched towards city centre. earlier on day, government troops fired mortars al-hasaba district in sanaa, home opposition tribal chief sheik sadeq al-ahmar claimed fighters did not return fire after shelled republican guard.

on 19 september snipers in nearby buildings again opened fire on monday @ peaceful demonstrators , passers-by in capital s change square, killing @ least 28 people , wounded more 100. additional deaths reported in southwestern city of taiz, 2 people killed , 10 injured gunfire saleh loyalists. abdu al-janadi, yemen s deputy information minister, rejected accusations government had planned attacks on protesters, , accused described unknown assailants of carrying out acts. on 19 september protesters , ex-soldiers stormed base of elite republican guards, loyal president. reports said not single shot fired guards fled base, leaving weapons behind.

on 22 september fighting broke out between republican guard troops commanded saleh s son ahmed, , dissidents loyal general ali mohsen al-ahmar. fighting had been concentrated since 18 september in city centre , @ change square spread on sanaa s al-hasaba district, gunmen loyal powerful dissident tribal chief sheikh sadiq al-ahmar traded fire followers of saghir bin aziz, tribesman loyal saleh.

return of ali abdullah saleh

on 23 september, yemeni state-television announced saleh had returned country after 3 months amid increasing turmoil in week saw increased gun battles on streets of sana , more 100 deaths.

as of 1 october 2011, human rights watch able confirm 225 deaths , on 1000 wounded, many firearms, since arab spring protests began in yemen. according committee protect journalists, photojournalist jamal al-sharaabi al-masdar first press fatality of yemeni uprising , killed while covering nonviolent demonstration @ sana university 18 march 2011, reporters without borders reported mohamed yahia al-malayia, reporter al-salam, shot @ change square on same day died later. camera operator hassan al-wadhaf captured own death on camera while assigned protest in sana on 24 september 2011.

on 7 october, nobel committee announced protest leader tawakel karman share nobel peace prize liberian president ellen johnson sirleaf , liberian activist leymah gbowee. karman first yemeni citizen , first arab woman win nobel prize.

power-transfer deal

on 23 november 2011, saleh flew riyadh in saudi arabia sign gulf co-operation council plan political transition, had spurned. upon signing document, agreed legally transfer powers of presidency deputy, vice president abdu-rabbo mansour al-hadi within 30 days , formally step down presidential elections on 21 february 2012, in exchange of immunity prosecution him , family.

on 21 january 2012, assembly of representatives of yemen approved immunity law. nominated vice president hadi candidate upcoming presidential election. saleh left yemen on next day seek medical treatment in united states, , reportedly seeking exile in oman.

a presidential election held in yemen on 21 february 2012. report claims has 65 percent of turnout, hadi won 99.8% of vote. abd rabbuh mansur al-hadi taken oath of office in yemen s parliament on 25 february 2012. saleh returned home @ same day attend hadi s presidency inauguration. after months of protests, saleh had resigned presidency , formally transfer power successor, marking end of 33-year rule. part of agreement, al-hadi oversee drafting of new constitution , serve 2 years, until new parliamentary , presidential elections held in 2014.