Sanaa, Oct 9 (IANS): At least 32 people were killed Thursday in a suicide bombing in the Yemeni capital.

A suspected Al Qaeda terrorist detonated explosives near a Shia Houthi gathering in Sanaa, a police official told Xinhua.

The Houthi group was expected to stage a rally Thursday to protest against the nomination of newly-designated Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak who announced his resignation earlier in the day.

A spokesman has confirmed that 21 Houthi members were killed in the explosion.

On Wednesday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi called for protests in Sanaa over the appointment of Mubarak as the new prime minister.

He said there was "foreign interference" when the president was considering the candidates.

"We received assurances that Mubarak was eliminated but right after the meeting with the US ambassador, the name resurfaced," the Houthi leader said.

On Sep 21, the government and Shia Houthi group signed a ceasefire deal here, both agreeing to stop fighting, nominate a prime minister within a week and form a technocrat government within a month.

However, the Houthi group refused to hand over towns and cities seized earlier and has taken over almost all the state institutions in Sanaa.

The deal empowers the Houthi rebels as it allows the group to play an important role in forming a cabinet and determining the future control of the army.

The peace agreement put an end to deadly clashes between the rebels and the army supported by Sunni militia, which left about 400 people killed, including about 50 civilians.