Yemen: Protests And Victims In Two Main Cities As Talks Continue

Written by: MISNA

November 3, 2011

Demonstrations and relative calm in Sana’a, protests and violent clashes in Taiz: the protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen’s two main cities continue.

MISNA sources contacted in Sana’a said that an anti-government demonstration is underway since this morning in the capital, but without the violence that erupted until mid October. However, three people were killed yesterday in clashes between the armed forces and combatants of the Sheikh Sadiq Al Ahmar.

In Taiz, protesters managed to seize control of some government buildings and banks, forcing security forces to intervene, according to the Defence ministry. The local media reports that the clashes left 5 dead and an unspecified number injured, though the toll is difficult to verify.

Meanwhile, negotiations proceed between the government and opposition representatives, who in the past days met with the US and other European Ambassadors. The focus of the talks was the accord proposed by the Gulf cooperation council that is mediating in the crisis, which foresees an end to the presidency of Saleh, in power for 33 years.