Ali Abdullah Saleh (Creative Commons)

Though a deal has been reached to end President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 32-year reign, thousands of protesters stayed put in the streets of Yemen Sunday refusing to pack up and go home.

The tentative deal would end Saleh's rule within 30 days in exchange for immunity from prosecution, but protesters said they're skeptical.

"We're not leaving," a protest organizer said. "We know our struggle won't end anytime soon."

The L.A. Times reports:

Diplomats credited the plan as a move toward ending two months of turmoil and bloodshed, but the deal fell short of the central demand by hundreds of thousands of demonstrators that Saleh resign immediately.

But the street protesters are a potent, if leaderless, force — much as their counterparts were in the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions. They are suspicious of political parties and fear that compromising their demands will weaken their movement and give Saleh a chance to regain momentum and possibly stay in power.

Saleh, whom the New York Times refers to as a "wily political survivor" has been facing opposition protesters for the past 2 months:

"[I]t was unclear whether his offer to step down was a real attempt to calm the political turmoil and growing demonstrations that have rocked his country for months or a way to shift blame for a stalemate to the opposition. His offer follows days of unrelenting pressure to step aside from Saudi Arabia and other neighboring states fearful of more instability in the region."

The Obama administration voiced approval of the deal on Saturday.

"We encourage all parties to move swiftly to implement the terms of the agreement so that the Yemeni people can soon realize the security, unity and prosperity that they have so courageously sought and so richly deserve," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement.

But it may be a bit more complicated.

In an interview with BBC Arabic on Sunday, Saleh said he would not give in to a "coup."

"I will not accept being overthrown in a coup," he said. "To whom shall I hand over power? Those who are trying to make a coup? No. We will do it through ballot boxes and referendums. We'll invite international observers to monitor – but a coup is not acceptable."