SANA’A – Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, and leaders of the General People’s Congress (GPC) have on Wednesday received military and security commanders who recently defected from the Saudi-led coalition forces and joined the side of the National Salvation Government.

Among the returnees are Brigadier General Mohammad Ghanim al-Himiari, commander of the so-called Fifth Brigade of the Third Military Region in Ma’rib province, as well as a security and intelligence officer of the 165th Brigade in al-Yatma area of Jawf province, in addition to a number of military intelligence officers and soldiers from the west coast front.

All of the defectors made use of the general amnesty granted by the Yemeni government for all who decide to rejoin the patriotic side and leave the invaders.

In a press conference held in the old city of Sana’a, al-Bukhaiti addressed a message to the aggression countries that “the equation and the balance of power have changed in favour of the Yemeni people.”

“The aggression forces have to stop the aggression, unless they will reach the stage of full collapse, and this includes those involved in treason,” al-Bukhaiti said.

On behalf of the returnees, Brigadier General al-Himiari talked at the conference saying “We joined the so-called legitimate government [the Saudi-backed Hadi administration] to fight under the allegations of liberating the country and protecting our people, but we were surprised by the fact that we were fighting against the protectors of our people.”

Al-Himiari called on all personnel in his brigade and all other brigades to “come back and stand by the homeland, and benefit from the amnesty decision”. The general furthermore expressed his sincere apologies to the Yemeni people.