Salim Ali Rubai

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Salim Ali Rubayyi or Salim Ali Rubai (1935-1978) (Arabic: سالم ربيع علي) was the head of state of South Yemen from 1969 to his arrest and execution by firing squad in 1978. Rubayyi led a Marxist wing of the National Liberation Front (NLF) which forced British troops to withdraw from South Yemen in 1967. Rubbayi's radicals gained dominance over the more moderate elements of the party, allowing him to seize power in 1969. He retained the title of Chairman of the Presidential Council throughout his term, even as the NLF changed the name of the country from the People's Republic of South Yemen to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. Shortly after this, Rubayyi's NLF joined with other parties, creating the Yemeni Socialist Party and outlawing all rival parties.

Rubayyi appointed Muhammad Ali Haitham as his Prime Minister when he became Chairman. Haitham served until 1971, when he was replaced by Haidar Abu Bakr al-Attas.