Yemen on brink of civil war, Saleh says

SANAA, Yemen, May 25 (UPI) -- Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Wednesday Yemen is on the verge of civil war and an analyst said the chances of Saleh staying in power were marginal.

Saleh has struggled to remain in power for much of the year. Clashes in the country during anti-Saleh protests have left at least 100 people dead.

Saleh has refused to accept a deal brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council that saw him step down within 30 days of a signing in exchange for immunity.

The president was quoted by the Bloomberg News agency as saying he didn't have any immediate plans to stand down.

"I will stay in Yemen as head of the (ruling) General People's Congress," he said.

Saleh said, however, he would sign the agreement when a timetable for its implementation emerged.

During his speech gun battles broke out between security forces and members of the Hashid tribe, led by Sadiq al-Ahmar. Saleh said Ahmar's forces were dragging the country into civil war.

Ahmar hasn't committed to the Yemeni opposition movement but Mustafa Alani, a security expert at Dubai's Gulf Research Center, told Bloomberg that Ahmar could hold the keys to Yemeni transition.

"If Ahmar decides 100 percent to take his fight to the streets and go public then the chances of Saleh's survival are very, very slim," he said.