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Yemeni president warns Houthi protesters

28 August 2014 03:41 (UTC +04:00)

"The tribal armed masses... imposed a status quo that is rejected by people, politically, nationally, regionally, and internationally," Yemeni media quoted Hadi as saying on Wednesday.

Hadi said he talked to officials from the US, the United Nations Security Council, and a number of Arab countries, who voiced opposition towards "any rebellion against national consensus."

The president’s remarks followed Tuesday's calls by Houthi leader Abd al-Malik al-Houthi for more anti government protests.

Hundreds of thousands took to streets on Wednesday calling for the downfall of the government.

Houthis have been holding demonstrations since August 20 when they strengthened their positions in the Yemeni capital Sana’a in an effort to press the government to resign.

Yemen’s Shia Houthi movement draws its name from the tribe of its founding leader Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi.

The Houthi movement played a key role in the popular revolution that forced former dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down.

Saleh, who ruled Yemen for 33 years, stepped down in February 2012 under a US-backed power transfer deal in return for immunity, after a year of mass street demonstrations demanding his ouster.