DHAKA:  The United Nations is preparing to impose sanctions on five prominent Yemenis, including Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former president.

A UN panel of experts found that the individuals had been undermining Yemen's democratic transition.

Three of those named are leaders of the Houthi rebel group that has seized large parts of the country over the last month, reports Al-Jazeera.

Saleh, whose 33-year reign ended in 2012 after a popular uprising, has been accused of using Yemen's ongoing crisis to re-establish his influence over the country’s politics.

His powerful son Ahmed Ali. who was the brigadier-general in charge of the Republican Guard before he was named the ambassador to the UAE, is also to be sanctioned, Arab diplomats who have seen the report prepared by the UN panel told Al Jazeera.

The three Houthis listed are the group's leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi, his brother Abdulkhaleq al-Houthi and military leader Abu Ali al-Hakem.

Some Yemenis say there is a hidden alliance between the Houthis and Saleh, who belongs to the Shia Zaidi sect that the Houthis hail from.

BDST: 0850 HRS, OCT 21, 2014