Yemen's ex-president says could work with Russia to 'fight terrorism'

People hold a poster of Yemen's former president Ali Abdullah Saleh as they demonstrate outside a parliament session held for the first time since a civil war began almost two years ago, in Sanaa, Yemen August 13, 2016. T REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

DOHA (Reuters) - A newly-formed governing council in Yemen could work with Russia to "fight terrorism" by allowing Moscow use of the war-torn country's military bases, Yemen's former president said on Sunday.

Ali Abdullah Saleh, a former counter-terrorism ally of the U.S. who was toppled by mass protests in 2011, told state-owned channel Russia 24 that Yemen was ready to grant Moscow access to air and naval bases.