Yahya Mohamed Abdullah Saleh is the nephew of former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, and was a chair staff of the approx. 50,000 strong Central Security Organization from 2001 to 21 May 2012. His father was Major General Mohammed Abdullah Saleh. Saleh was replaced with Major General Fadhel Bin Yahiya al-Qusi.
Following his dismissal Yahya sent a letter to President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, expressing his support for Hadi.