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Yemeni dissidents on Monday called for a swift power transfer as the opposition vowed to block the return of President Ali Abdullah Saleh whose party insists he will be back after surgery in Saudi Arabia.

Saleh, hurt by an explosion as he prayed at a mosque inside the presidential compound, is convalescing in Riyadh after undergoing two successful operations on Sunday as thousands took to streets in Sanaa to celebrate his departure.

A youth committee, which has been a key player behind an uprising against Saleh's nearly 33 years of rule, called on Monday for immediate steps to ensure a power transfer. In a statement, it urged "all national and political forces to begin with forming an interim presidential council ... and creating a national transitional council".

"The revolution has achieved its first objective - the ouster of Saleh," it said, adding that the protesters would "continue (their) sit-in until the achievement of all goals".

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets on Sunday to celebrate what they said was the end of Saleh's rule. Yemen's parliamentary opposition vowed on Sunday to prevent Saleh's return to Yemen. "We will work with all our strength to prevent his return," parliamentary opposition spokesman Mohammed Qahtan said.

But a spokesman for the ruling General People's Congress said "President Saleh will return to Yemen within days."

Saleh was operated on twice on Sunday, according to a Saudi official in Riyadh.

"President Saleh underwent two operations that were successful," the official said. "The first was to remove a piece of shrapnel from his chest, and the second was neurosurgery to his neck. The next procedure will be for cosmetic surgical purposes. The period of convalescence is two weeks, after which he will return to Sanaa."

（中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑）

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.