Almotamar.net, Saba - President Ali Abdullah Saleh paid on Saturday a visit to the Bab al Mandab strait where he was received by local officials, military and security commanders, sheikhs and social dignitaries.

He inspected progress on developmental projects, urging to speed the implementation of electricity and water projects.

On the trip, he visited Ground Troops Brigade 17 and was briefed on its training programmes. He congratulated the troops and commanders upon Eid al Adha, praising their performance and alert.

I am confident that as you assumed your duty in a perfect way in the past, you are ready to achieve much more to defend your country and all achievements under its unity, he told them.

The president also paid a visit to the under-construction ground troops training center designed for 3000 trainees, saying the center comes within the major effort Yemen is making to qualify the armed forces and build their capacity.

Moreover, he visited army brigades and units stationing in the strait, congratulating them on Eid al Adha, praising their performance and urging them to continue training.

In his speeches, Saleh said: "the national unity was the greatest achievement of the Yemeni people and the fruit of their struggle and sacrifices."

The Yemeni people don't allow anyone to harm their country's unity, stability and security and they never deviate from the national and democratic principles, he said.