Ali Abdullah Saleh was born on 21 March 1942[REF][REF][REF] at Bait el-Ahmar village,[REF] from the Sanhan (سنحان) tribe, whose territories lie some 20 kilometres southeast of the capital, Sana'a.
Saleh's cousin, Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar from the Al Ahmar family of Sanhan is often confused with the same-named leading family of the Hashid tribe, with which the Sanhan tribe had allied.