Yemeni rebel tribesmen said Monday they were committed to a ceasefire with government forces, after the truce was put at risk by the death of two of their fighters, dpa reported.
Two loyalists of Sadiq al-Ahmar, head of the Hashid tribe, were killed by snipers loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh early Monday, al-Ahmar's spokesman Abdul-Qawi al-Qissi said
"The tribe will abide by the ceasefire despite violations by Saleh's forces," al-Qissi told the German Press Agency dpa by phone.
The Yemeni capital Sana'a was calm on Monday, residents said, a day after the deal made by Saleh's deputy and acting president, Abed Rabbo Mansur.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh remained in Saudi Arabia after undergoing an operation in the military hospital in Riyadh. He had been injured in an attack on the presidential palace on Friday.
"We heard a few gunshots overnight, but now it is very quiet compared to last week," Ibrahim Mothana, an activist in Sana'a said.
The ceasefire aims to end street fighting between security forces and supporters of al-Ahmar, who endorsed country-wide protests calling for Saleh's ouster.
"Sheikh Sadiq announced several times that he, and his family, do not seek power after Saleh," al-Qissi added.
"We support a power transfer to the vice president because this is the only constitutional solution that guarantees a peaceful transition and saves the country from destruction and bloodshed," he said.
The government, however, said that the president was still the legitimate ruler of the country and that he will return in "few days."
Fighting between government security forces and al-Ahmar's supporters broke out last month, after Saleh refused to sign a Gulf-brokered power transfer deal.
There are reports that Saudi Arabia is in talks with Saleh on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which tried to mediate between Saleh and the opposition.
"The Cabinet expressed the hope that the GCC initiative will be signed by all parties to resolve the Yemeni crisis in a way that enhances the security, stability and unity of Yemen," the Saudi Press Agency reported.