MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States said Thursday that there was no role for former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the country.
Saleh's supporters are fighting alongside the Houthi militia, who are currently in control of large parts of Yemen, including capital Sanaa.
"We don't believe that President Saleh has any role to play in Yemen's future. He spent 35 years or so driving the country into the ground. And he played a very dark role in the events in Yemen," Adel Jubeir said.
The ambassador added that Saleh was "causing mischief behind the scenes" despite being "removed" from power.
On March 25, a Saudi Arabia-led coalition started conducting airstrikes against Houthi militants at the request of current President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who hurriedly fled the country.
Saleh served as the first President of Yemen in 1990-2012 after overseeing the unification of North Yemen and South Yemen in 1990. He previously served as President of North Yemen from 1978.
