SANAA: A Huthi rebel leader in Yemen warned President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi on Friday to form a new government within 10 days or a “national salvation council” would take its place.

The Ansarullah rebels, also known as Huthis, took advantage of the lack of stability since president Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 2011 overthrow to seize the capital Sanaa on Sept 21.

They have since extended their sphere of influence into the centre and west of the country.

Friday’s warning to Hadi came as rebel leaders gathered in the capital at a meeting called by the movement’s chief, Abdulmalik al-Huthi.

It was attended by Huthi supporters, the heads of allied tribes and also backers of the deposed Saleh, participants said.

“We are giving President Hadi 10 days to form a government as provided under the peace agreement” reached on Sept 21 or “a national salvation council will be set up”, said tribal chief Sheikh Dheifallah Rassam from the northern rebel bastion of Saada province.

Participants at the meeting denounced Hadi’s call on last Sunday for the Huthis to “immediately pull out their armed men from all the cities and provinces (they seized) including Sanaa”.

The president accused the rebels of “trying to take over the role of the state under the pretext of fighting Al Qaeda in a bid to conquer more provinces”.

On Wednesday, the rebels seized the central city of Radmah on a road linking Sanaa with the main southern city of Aden.

Published in Dawn, November 1st , 2014