SANAA (AFP) ― Yemen’s parliament failed to convene Sunday to discuss the president’s resignation, extending a dangerous power vacuum, as U.S. President Barack Obama vowed to still pursue al-Qaida in the country despite the crisis.

President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, a key U.S. ally in the fight against al-Qaida’s Yemeni franchise, tendered his resignation Thursday along with Prime Minister Khalid Bahah, saying he could no longer stay in office as his country was in “total deadlock.”

Obama described Yemen as a “dangerous part of the world,” saying his priority was to ensure Americans’ safety, but he denied reports of the suspension of U.S. drone strikes against jihadists in the country.

“We continue to go after high-value targets inside of Yemen and ... we will continue to maintain the pressure that is required to keep the American people safe,” he said in New Delhi.

Obama’s remarks came as a powerful Shiite militia fired warning shots to disperse a protest against their takeover of Sanaa.

The Huthi militia, who have controlled most of the capital since September, overran the presidential palace last week, prompting Hadi to step down, shortly after Bahah quit.

As demonstrators gathered near Sanaa University, the militiamen fired warning shots to disperse them, before detaining several people.

The militiamen also attacked journalists and smashed their cameras, before deploying in force.

The journalists’ union said the militia detained three Yemeni newsmen, and that female freelancer Huda al-Zabhani was beaten up.