Who Will Inherit Saleh’s Political Legacy and Revenge?

Members of the General People's Congress, once headed by Yemen's slain former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, enter a meeting of the party's leadership in Sanaa, Yemen January 7, 2018.
Members of the General People's Congress, once headed by Yemen's slain former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, enter a meeting of the party's leadership in Sanaa, Yemen January 7, 2018.
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Who Will Inherit Saleh’s Political Legacy and Revenge?

Members of the General People's Congress, once headed by Yemen's slain former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, enter a meeting of the party's leadership in Sanaa, Yemen January 7, 2018.
Members of the General People's Congress, once headed by Yemen's slain former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, enter a meeting of the party's leadership in Sanaa, Yemen January 7, 2018.

When former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his close associates realized that the Houthis were ready to tighten the noose around the General People’s Congress, its chief and leadership, his nephew Tarek Saleh established a military training camp in his hometown of Sinhan.

This provoked the militias and made it make up its mind on quickly eliminating the former president before he is able to regroup his forces. He was ultimately killed on December 4, 2017.

Tarek’s reappearance came amid questions among his uncle’s followers, Congress supporters and their rivals about the fate of Saleh’s political and military legacy that he accumulated over the decades.

The search has been on for the most suitable candidate to assume the mantle and avenge those murdered by the Houthis.

Military officials, who spoke to the Asharq Al-Awsat, said that Tarek was the best candidate to succeed his uncle at the moment due to his military experience and acquaintance with former commanders in the pro-Saleh forces. In addition, he is the only member of his family who is currently on the ground.

Other candidates include the late president’s son Ahmed Ali, the former commander of the elite forces in the Yemeni military. He has been residing in the United Arab Emirates since President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi removed him from his position of ambassador. He was expelled along with several members of his family, including his brother Khaled and cousin Ammar Saleh.

Khaled is a graduate of the military academy and his father had appointed him in 2010 as commander of one of the presidential guard branches. He however did not have enough time to establish himself because of his father’s departure from power. His cousin, Ammar, who is also Tarek’s brother, was the actual chief of the national security agency (the intelligence).

Close associates of the eldest Saleh son believe that he is not yet prepared to play a military role in the conflict because the United Nations Security Council had imposed sanctions on him that bar him from traveling and that have frozen his assets. Congress leaderships that were close to his father have been pushing for him to assume a leading role in the party because they believe that his calm character is more suited to civilian work than the military field.

Another nephew, Yehya Saleh is currently residing in the Lebanese capital Beirut. He has also traveled to several countries, including Russia, Egypt, Greece and Cyprus. Days ago, he was in Oman to visit his relatives there.

He has been active in the trade industry and was leader of a central security forces branch during Saleh’s years in power. Over a year ago, the former president appointed him as a member of the Congress politburo, but he departed Yemen in wake of the Houthi coup. His statements after his uncle’s murder had stirred controversy among his followers because they had lacked the needed severity against and condemnation of the militias. They instead reflected his commitment to continuing the opposition of the legitimate Yemeni government and rejection of foreign military intervention.

Another of Saleh’s sons are Salah and Madeen. They have been imprisoned by the Houthi militias since their father’s murder and they are not known to have played any military or political roles. Efforts have been exerted by Congress leaderships to release them.

Saleh’s youngest sons, Ridan and Sakhr, have been living outside of Yemen for at least the past two years. They are likely living in Oman. The former president also has ten daughters, nine of whom are married. They are all living outside of Yemen in various Arab Gulf countries.

Oman had announced that it received 22 of Saleh’s relatives in wake of his murder. Saudi authorities had also said that 19 other of his relatives, including his wife Ummat al-Salam al-Hajari, were received in the Kingdom.



Syrians in Libya Struggle to Escape ‘Exile in Limbo’

A photo shows young Syrian men who drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Credit: Rights activist Tarek Lamloum
A photo shows young Syrian men who drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Credit: Rights activist Tarek Lamloum
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Syrians in Libya Struggle to Escape ‘Exile in Limbo’

A photo shows young Syrian men who drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Credit: Rights activist Tarek Lamloum
A photo shows young Syrian men who drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Credit: Rights activist Tarek Lamloum

About seven months ago, a group of 25 Syrian youths, including minors, set off from Libya on an irregular migration journey toward Europe. Only four made it back alive. The rest drowned in the Mediterranean.

The tragedy, which left a deep mark on Syrian communities both in Libya and abroad, has drawn renewed attention to the large and diverse Syrian population now living in the North African country, some fleeing the war in Syria under former President Bashar al-Assad, others settled there long before.

Syria’s presence in Libya is far from monolithic. It spans businessmen, migrant laborers, families who settled during the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, and former fighters now working as mercenaries. Many also see Libya as a temporary stop on the perilous path to Europe.

For most, Libya is not the destination but a gateway. The recent drowning of 21 Syrians in the Mediterranean was not an isolated tragedy, but part of a pattern of loss that has haunted the community for years.

Reports from local and international migration watchdogs have documented repeated drownings and arrests of Syrians at sea, with many captured by Libya’s coastguard and detained in overcrowded jails.

Despite the risks, many Syrians have managed to adapt to life in Libya, integrating into local communities and participating in its economy.

Yet numerous challenges persist, particularly for undocumented workers and those living without valid residency papers. Many report facing discrimination, abuse, and difficult working conditions.

As thousands of Syrian refugees across the Middle East prepare to return home amid improving conditions and relaxed restrictions, Syrians in Libya remain stuck, unable to stay, and unable to leave.

“We’re caught in the middle,” said one Syrian resident in Tripoli. “We can’t endure much longer, but we also can’t afford to go back.”

Many Syrians in Libya say they are increasingly vulnerable to exploitation, including passport confiscation and harassment by armed groups and criminal gangs operating with impunity.

Several Syrian residents told Asharq Al-Awsat they are facing rising unemployment, frequent kidnappings, and demands for ransom by militias. For those who now wish to return to Syria, doing so has become financially prohibitive due to hefty fines for visa violations.

Steep Penalties for Overstaying

Under a revised Libyan immigration law enacted on March 14, 2024, foreigners who overstay their visas or residency permits are charged 500 Libyan dinars - around $90 - per month. The regulation adds a significant burden for many Syrians whose legal documents have expired and who lack the resources to renew them or pay the fines required to exit the country legally.

Due to the political division in Libya since 2014, no official statistics exist on the number of foreign residents. However, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported in 2020 that approximately 14,500 Syrian refugees and asylum seekers were living in Libya.

Ten years after arriving in Libya, Ahmed Kamal Al-Fakhouri says he is now trapped, unable to afford life in the country or the high costs of leaving it.

“They’ve imposed fines on us that are beyond reason - nearly $1,500 per person,” said Fakhouri, a restaurant worker in Tripoli, echoing a growing outcry among Syrians in Libya burdened by mounting penalties and legal uncertainties. “Sometimes, I can’t even afford a day’s meal.”

Fakhouri fled Derna after the deadly floods of August 2023 and resettled in Tripoli.

“I saw death with my own eyes,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat, describing the trauma of losing his home. “Now we’re living in misery. We want the world to hear our voice - we want to go back to our country.”

Libya hosts thousands of Syrians, including doctors, engineers, university students, and day laborers who fill the country’s markets in search of work to support their families.

Yet many say they now find themselves stuck, facing visa penalties they can’t afford and no clear path home - even as the fall of Assad’s regime renews hopes for return.

“Exit Tax” Burdens Families

While Libya’s labor ministries have issued no formal statement on the matter, members of the Syrian community say they are being charged an "exit tax" calculated based on their overstay period. No official decree has been published, but testimonies suggest the fees are acting as a de facto barrier to departure.

Following Assad’s ouster, many Syrians are reconsidering return, describing exile as a “prison,” but are deterred by the financial burden of settling overstays.

Asharq Al-Awsat reached out to both of Libya’s rival labor ministries to clarify policies affecting Syrians and the reported fines for expired documents, but received no response.

Zekeriya Saadi, another Syrian living in Tripoli, has publicly called on authorities in both eastern and western Libya to cancel the exit tax and allow those wishing to return to Syria to do so.

“In these unbearable conditions, it’s unreasonable to ask refugees to pay such high fees just to leave the country,” he said. “This tax is a major obstacle, it exceeds our capacity, especially given our financial hardships.”

Saadi said most Syrians in Libya are low-income families without stable jobs. “Many are at risk of eviction, kidnapping, or exploitation. Leaving has become a matter of survival,” he said. “How can a displaced person be treated like a tourist or a wealthy expat?”

He urged Syria’s Foreign Ministry to take a clear stance and negotiate with Libyan authorities for fee exemptions and coordinated return efforts, while also working to protect Syrians who remain in the country.

Passport Problems Bar Education

Beyond financial barriers, expired passports are also stranding Syrians in legal limbo. Many have lost access to services, and the issue is now affecting the next generation.

According to Syrian media reports, education officials in Misrata barred at least 100 Syrian children from enrolling in public schools because their parents’ passports had expired, highlighting how bureaucratic obstacles are deepening the crisis for displaced families.