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Plot to assassinate ex-Yemen president foiled

Tunnels have been discovered leading up to the home of the former President of Yemen which is believed may have been part of a terrorist plot to kill him
Ousted Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh (AFP)

SANA'A – An assassination plot against Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh has been foiled, his party has claimed.

In a Monday statement, the General People's Congress said that a tunnel dug by a "terrorist" group that leads to Saleh's house in the capital Sana'a had been discovered.

The party claimed that the tunnel had been planned to be used to carry out a "terrorist" operation against Saleh, his family and party leaders.

The party, however, did not accuse any party of planning the plot.

Arabic media agencies are showing pictures of what they say are the tunnels leading up to his home. 

The party said that incumbent President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi has ordered an investigation into the alleged plot.

Saleh had survived an assassination attempt in 2011 when he was still in power, amid protests against his rule.

Saleh had stepped down in 2012 following months of protests against his 33-year rule of the Arab Peninsula country.

Some social media users alleged that the plot was possibly orchestrated by current President Hadi, while others expressed their relief that the former leader had been spared. 

Translation: possible scenarios - an assassination plot by the current president who is calling for the exile of Ali Abdullah Saleh

Translation: May God protect you, leader of Yemen

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