Yemen PM says resignation 'final and irreversible'

Yemen's prime minister has said the resignation of his government is "final and irreversible", and that his cabinet will take no responsibility for the country at this stage.

The announcement by Khaled Bahah leaves Yemen without a caretaker government, while the country remains divided along political, regional and tribal lines.

Yemen's parliament is still waiting to convene to decide on the next step for the country after repeated postponed meetings between MPs.

Bahah's government and Yemen's president, Abd Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi, tendered their resignations after the a Zaydi Houthi insurgent group took over vital government infrastructure in the capital Sanaa last week.

The rebel group also raided the presidential complex and besiegeg the homes on government figures, including the president.

In a statement obtained by al-Araby al-Jadeed, the government stated that the resignation of its members was an expression of its strong dissatisfaction at the Houthis over the past weeks.

The statement said the government regreted the deaths and injuries of members of the presidential guard in the Houthi attacks.

The Houthis [are] fully responsible for halting the work of the president and the government.

It described the Houthi advances as a "coup".

"The government's resignation is a procedural step. The real resignation is represented by what the Houthis have done by force on the ground. The group is fully responsible for halting the work of the president and the government, as well as the historical political transition and how things will eventually develop," the statement read.

The government also condemned the abduction of Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, the head of the president's office, along with an alleged attempt on the life of the prime minister.

"A number of media outlets were taken over. In addition, there were interventions in the affairs of ministries and government institutions, and a number of governorates were controlled by force."

The Houthis show no sign of relinquishing power, having taken over several key military bases south of the capital in recent days, including a counter terrorism camp.

This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.