The most influential military commander supports revolution against Saleh

Ali Muhsen has been one of Saleh’s rule pillars

By Nasser Arrabyee/21/03/2011

The military commander of the northern region, Ali Muhsen, declared his support Monday for the peaceful revolution against the 33-year rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The step came after the general Muhsen’s army (armored division1) was deployed around the sit-in camps nearby the university from Sunday 20 March 2011.

The troops of the armored division1 replaced the central security forces of the general Yahya Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, President Saleh’s nephew.

“On my behalf and on behalf of my colleagues in the armed forces, We are declaring our peaceful support for the peaceful revolution of the young people and their demands, and we will perform our duties fully in maintaining the security and stability in the capital and wherever our military units are, beside our brothers from the security forces,” The general said.
The step is a turning point in the anti-Saleh protests.

General Mussen, one of the President Saleh's relatives , is considered the second most influential military commander after Saleh.

Brigadier Hameed A-Qushaibi, commander of Brigade 310 in Amran Province, the commander of eastern region Mohammed Ali Mohsen, the commander of the Central region in Sana'a Saif al-Boqri also joined the anti-regime protesters.