During his meeting with Leslie Campbell, head of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), Saleh assured the Americans about his planned leave by the coming presidential election and will remain shouldering his responsibilities until he hands power to his predecessor. Saleh's assurances come as many media source quoted Saleh as saying he would only leave if he were defeated in an election.

"President Saleh has said on many occasions that he had no intention to run for the 2013 presidential election and he is committed to his announcement," an official told Saba News Agency.

Saleh also called upon the opposition coalition to put an end to demonstrations and sits-ins and media campaigns, calling for the creation of an appropriate climate for national dialogue and forming a national unity government to oversee the election and ensure free and fair election.

In Taiz, demonstrators vowed to push on until Saleh leaves office. Thousands of demonstrators have been staging unabated protests in the city's Tahrir Square since the fall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Demonstrators say their protest movement is gaining momentum.

In the coastal city of Mukalla, hundreds of primary and secondary school students took to the streets of calling for Saleh to step down. The students clashed with police who used tear gas and batons to disperse them.

In the capital, clashes erupted between the anti-government demonstrators and government loyalists near Sanaa University. Many people were reportedly injured in the confrontation.

According to almasdaronline.com, an independent Yemeni website, the death toll from a week of continuing clashes in Aden has risen to 14.