Sheik Mohammed Nagi al-Shayef, a leader of the Saleh-allied Bakeel tribe, says he met  Saleh on Saturday evening at the defence ministry compound in Sanaa.

"He suffered burns but they were not serious. He was burned on both hands, his face and head,'' al-Shayef told The Associated Press.

He said Saleh had also been hit by jagged pieces of wood that splintered from the mosque pulpit. There were about 200 people inside the mosque when the rocket landed on Friday.