Yemen’s Capital Rocked by Explosions, Gunfire as Tribal Truce Breaks Down

By Mohammed Hatem and Vivian Salama

May 31 (Bloomberg) -- Explosions and heavy gunfire rocked the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, amid renewed fighting between security forces and protesters who support tribal leader Sadek al-Ahmar.

Tribesmen loyal to al-Ahmar have taken control of the Interior Ministry headquarters, Abdulqawi al-Qaisi, a spokesman for the group, said in a telephone interview today. The government denied the takeover in a statement read out on state television. Al Ahmar’s tribe also said it captured the police station in Hasabah, a district of Sana’a, earlier today.

Al-Ahmar said the government violated a truce agreed upon with his Hashid tribe by attacking his house again. The government accused his fighters of attempting to take over the ruling party headquarters.

The conflict between security forces and al-Ahmar’s tribe broke out last week after President Ali Abdullah Saleh declined to sign an accord brokered by Gulf Arab countries requiring him to give up power within 30 days. Violence has escalated across the country since then, with at least 21 people killed in the southern city of Taiz yesterday, one of the bloodiest days in four months of protests. Al-Jazeera television said as many as 57 people may have died. Another seven people were killed there today, according to activist Bushra al-Maktari.

MORE...

http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aFTqOYR1aJCs&pos=8