Yemen turmoil deepens as Hadi resigns

(MENAFN- Arab News) SANAA: Yemeni leader Abdu Rabbo Mansour Hadi offered to resign on Thursday amid a standoff with a powerful Shiite militia in control of the capital throwing his country deeper into political turmoil.Presidential adviser Sultan Al-Atwani and several other aides confirmed that Hadi had quit but a senior official said Yemen's Parliament had rejected his resignation. 'Parliament... refused to accept the president's resignation and decided to call an extraordinary session for Friday morning' the official said speaking on condition of anonymity.Yemeni Prime Minister Khalid Bahah also resigned saying he did want to be part of the collapse of the country.The shock announcements came after the militia known as Houthis tightened their grip on Sanaa this week after seizing almost full control of the capital in September.They had maintained fighters around key buildings on Thursday and continued holding a top presidential aide they kidnapped on Saturday despite a deal to end what authorities called a coup attempt.The potential fall of Hadi's Western-backed government will raise serious concerns of strategically important but impoverished Yemen collapsing into complete chaos.After heavy fighting between government forces and the Houthis this week that killed at least 35 people the UN Security Council and Yemen's Gulf neighbors had all voiced support for Hadi's continued rule.