Sana'a, Yemen - Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is being treated in a hospital in Sana'a after he was injured during an exercise, the official Saba news agency reported on Thursday.

The agency said Saleh, 68, was taken to a military hospital at the defence complex on Tuesday evening after he "suffered bruises during a regular exercise."

It said the veteran leader, who has been at the helm since 1978, "continues to receive the treatment and he will, God willing, resume his daily activities as soon as he completes the treatment."

The agency did not provide further details.

Saleh was first elected in July 1978 by the Constitutional Assembly (parliament) in north Yemen following the assassination of former president Ahmad al-Ghashmi.

When north and south Yemen were unified in May 1990, Saleh took over the presidency of the new state.

Following unification, Saleh began moving the impoverished Yemen towards democratization, allowing the establishment of opposition political parties and giving the press further freedom.(dpa)