How a Yemeni leader close to Saleh escaped Houthis’ grasp in Sanaa

A high-ranking leader in the General People’s Congress party (GPC), Yasser al-Awadi, succeeded in escaping from the Houthi militia in Sanaa to his hometown in the al-Baida governorate, local and media sources said on Wednesday.

The sources added that Awadi, who is the assistant secretary general of the GPC, and a close associate to the late ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, reached the area of Radman in Baida, but the way he escaped Sanaa is unknown.

The Houthis have put several political figures and military officials under house arrest in Sanaa, while arresting and killing others in an ongoing campaign since the death of Saleh early last December.

Although Radman is considered a Houthi controlled area, sources say that it will be tough for the militia to reach Awadi as he is now within the territory of his tribe, while military operations and field progress of the Yemeni army with the support of the Arab Coalition is accelerating to liberate Baida.

Awadi is the second high-ranking official to escape Sanaa, preceded by Colonel Saleh al-Ahmar, the half-brother of Saleh, who escaped to Marib last week.

Awadi posted a series of tweets while under Houthi control in Sanaa on Tuesday saying that he fully opposes the militia, a first for a senior leader in the GPC.

It was believed that Awadi was killed with slain ex-president Saleh, however the rumor was quickly discounted when he confirmed that he was alive through his Twitter account.

Source: Alarabiya