Pro-Saleh Gunmen Briefly Seize Security Building in Sanaa

Gunmen loyal to ousted Yemeni ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh on Sunday seized a security building near the Interior Ministry in the capital for a few hours before vacating it, a security official said.

The official said the gunmen were sent by a former security official and a relative of Saleh. After taking over the building in Sanaa, they blocked off the airport highway where it is located.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

Saleh, Yemen's ruler for over 30 years, transferred power to a newly elected president Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi after a yearlong uprising. Many believe however that Saleh retains control over the new government through a network of relatives and loyalists in security and military positions.