The President’s refusal comes as the death disaster

DUBAI: On Tuesday as President Ali Abdullah Saleh refused to step down in the face of mounting desertions by his supporters and officials said the government had lost control of six of the country’s 18 provinces.

Al Arabia channel reported, Saleh told a meeting today that he would not step down as 95% of the Yemenis backed his call for a unified Yemen and instead it should be his opponents, who should leave the country.

The President’s refusal comes as the death toll in the massive blast and fire at an ammunition plant in south Yemen shot up to 150 and transition of power talks remained stalled.

Mohsin Salem, a local government official in the Abyan province said, “95 bodies have been identified and many others were burnt beyond recognition,” adding that the province where the incident had happened has been seized by the al Qaeda cadres.

In recent days government forces has abandoned their force across the country, including areas where northern rebels have challenged the military and southern provinces where al Qaeda’s Arabian branch has maintained sanctuaries, Yemeni official said.

The collapse of the authority was acknowledged by the President himself, who told a committee from his political party that “six of the Yemen’s 18 provinces had fallen”.

The Yemeni strongman, who has been in power for the last 32 years has moved away from a dialogue with opposition mediated by American diplomats and Saudi Arabia.

The opposition parties today released a statement saying that the ammunition factory blast had occurred as Saleh had withdrawn his military and security and allowed al Qaeda armed groups to take over.

The country was being ripped apart as he hardened his public stance declaring he would make no more concessions, said Saleh.