Longtime Yemeni vice president Abd rabbu Mansour Hadi took the oath as president on Saturday, and pledged to “preserve the country’s unity, independence and territorial integrity”, and to fight Al-Qaeda in Yemen.

Longtime Yemeni vice president Abd rabbu Mansour Hadi took the oath as president on Saturday, and pledged to “preserve the country's unity, independence and territorial integrity”, and to fight Al-Qaeda in Yemen.

Former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh returned to Yemen early Saturday after completing his medical treatment in the United States, and is scheduled to formally hand over the reins of power in a ceremony at the presidential palace on Monday.

After taking the oath, Hadi pledged that "there would be no let-up in the battle to wrest back the territory from the jihadists", stating that “it is a patriotic and religious duty to continue the battle against Al-Qaeda”.

Hadi said he will restore security across his nation, pointing out that “if we don't restore security, the only outcome will be chaos”.

The new president, who won by 99.8 % of votes in Tuesday’s election in which his name was the only one on the ballot paper, also vowed to "turn a new page in the building of a new Yemen which unites all its citizens."