Groups loyal to Yemen’s president tighten their grip

SUPPORTERS of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh tightened their control of Sanaa’s central square yesterday, after crowding out a planned opposition rally there the previous day.

Tents, national flags and portraits of Saleh were erected across Al-Tahrir Square, which was occupied by hundreds of supporters of the ruling Popular Congress General (GPC) and patrolled by members of the security forces.

Tens of thousands of Saleh loyalists flooded the square on Thursday in a show of support for the embattled president, forcing the opposition to move its planned anti-regime rally to the University of Sanaa, about 2km away.