Former Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi left the capital, Sana’a, Saturday, according to aides close to him, but there were conflicting reports as to whether he escaped house arrest or the Shi’ite rebels who seized power in the majority-Sunni country let him go.

The aides said Mr. Hadi fled to his hometown of Aden in the country’s south. There were also conflicting reports on whether he might address the nation in a speech.

The former president had been under house arrest since last month, when he resigned after the Houthi rebels seized the presidential palace. But his resignation was never formally accepted by the parliament as is required.

The United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution earlier this week demanding the Houthis restore the Sana’a government and release Mr. Hadi, who is backed by the United States.

Yemen has been mired in political turmoil since the rebels seized Sana’a in September.

On Friday, the U.N. envoy to Yemen said rival political parties, including the Houthis, are getting closer to reaching a deal that could prevent the country from sliding into civil war.

“We took a very important step this morning toward reaching a political deal to end the current crisis,” said Jamal Benomar Friday in a statement posted to his Facebook page.

“Parties to the talks have agreed on an interim legislative body that guarantees the participation of all political elements not represented in the current lower house of parliament,” he said. “According to the deal, the lower house will retain its current form, and a congress called the People’s Transitional Congress will be formed.”

Mohammed Albasha, a spokesman for the Yemeni embassy in the United States, told VOA following the announcement that the agreement to replace the current upper house of lawmakers with the new transitional council is a positive step.

U.N. envoy Benomar said issues that remain unresolved include the status of the presidency.

Since seizing power in January, rebels have dissolved parliament and set up their own ruling body. They say they are carrying out a “revolution” against corrupt officials and economic ruin.
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