SANA’A, Oct. 17 — Ministry of Interior soldiers with university degrees continue their sit-in outside the Police Officers Club. The soldiers are demanding that the ministry promote them and give them their full rights.

Ahmed Al-Mansour, head of the organizing committee for the university educated soldiers, said they would continue their open strike until the Ministry of Interior meets their demands.

Al-Mansouri said Prime Minister Mohammed Basindawa and Interior Minister General Abdulqader Qahtan promised to promote the soldiers many times but in vain.

“In our slogans we demand the Prime Minister fulfill his promises,” he said.

Fuad Qaed Hassan, a soldier at the Ministry of Interior who holds a bachelor’s degree from the Law College said the ministry provided scholarships, military ranks and allocations for the sons of sheikhs and for some soldiers who didn’t get secondary school certificates, as well as five members of the First Armored Division.

“Ordinary people like us were given nothing but false promises,” Hassan said.

Al-Mansour said that he met with Basindawa on Wednesday, indicating that the Prime Minister promised to discuss this issue with Qahtan to find suitable solutions.

“We won’t decamp and leave this place unless the ministry gives us our rights,” Al-Mansour said.

This is the second sit-in Interior Ministry soldiers have held this year. They have also held several protests this past year.

The Yemen Times attempted to contact Dr. Mohammed Al-Sharafi, undersecretary of financial and administrative affairs at the Interior Ministry, but was unable to respond as he is currently overseas.