Yemeni Forces Fire on Protesters, Killing Four

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

October 16, 2011

SANAA, Yemen—Yemeni security forces opened fire Sunday on antigovernment protesters marching through the capital killing at least four people, a medical official said.

Mohammed al-Qubati, the director of a field hospital at Sanaa's main protest site dubbed "Change Square", also said at least 37 people were wounded in the violence.

Witnesses said snipers on rooftops opened fire on the crowd of tens of thousands of protesters, marching through the streets to call for the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Loyalist forces of the Republican Guard, a unit led by Saleh's son Ahmed, also lobbed tear gas at the demonstrators.

Witnesses said that the Republican Guard clashed near Change Square with the antigovernment troops of renegade army general Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, who defected and joined protests months ago.

Pro-Saleh security forces also tried Sunday to disperse a large protest in the southern Yemeni city of Taiz, killing one woman and injuring seven others, medical officials there said.

Sunday's violence comes a day after security forces fired on a massive rally of some 300,000 people in Sanaa, killing at least 12 protesters and wounding some 300.

"No immunity, no guarantees. Saleh and his aides must be prosecuted," chanted protesters in Sanaa. "Free people of the world, Saleh must be tried."

President Saleh clings to power in the face of more than nine months of massive street protests, inspired by popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

Mr. Saleh, who has been in office for 33 years, has staunchly refused to quit power.

He has balked at signing a deal that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have backed in hopes of providing a smooth transition of power. Under the agreement, Mr. Saleh would resign and hand power to his vice president in return for immunity from prosecution.