The commander of Yemen's Republican Guards Ahmed Ali Saleh, the eldest son of wounded Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh who is receiving treatment in Riyadh, said on Sunday that his forces are committed to orders of the country's vice president and support efforts to resolve political impasse in the country.
The 42-year-old Brigadier-General Ahmed Ali, who is also the commander of the Special Forces, made his remarks in a statement published by the country's Defense Ministry, in response to the increasing calls by opposition-backed protesters demanding him to leave Yemen, Xinhua reported.
His father, embattled President Saleh, has not appeared in public since he was airlifted to the capital of Saudi Arabia on June 4 for treatment from wounds he sustained in a bombardment against his Sanaa's presidential palace.
"The army forces of the Republican Guards and Special Forces are loyal to the country and unity, and are committed to implementing the orders of Vice President Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, " Saleh's son said in the statement.
"As the military commander of the Republican Guards and Special Forces, I reaffirmed to fulfill my duties and responsibilities to defend the country and preserve its democracy, security, stability and unity under the leadership of Vice President Hadi," Ahmed Ali said.
Yemen has been gripped by five-month-long unrest calling for the end of the 33-year rule of the President Saleh, whose aides said Sunday that he would deliver a speech to the nation in 48 hours and would come back to Sanaa within next few days.
Ahmed Ali also pledged that the Republican Guards and Special Forces will keep defending the country against "subversive acts" that harm the security and integrity of the Yemeni people and government institutions, as well as combating the terrorists in the southern province of Abyan and its nearby provinces.
Saleh's sons and some relatives serve high-ranking positions in the military and security institutions, including anti-terror security agency and intelligence bodies.