Clashes intensify between government troops, tribal rebels in Yemen capital
SANAA. May 25. KAZINFORM Fierce clashes continued for the second day Tuesday in central area of Yemen's capital Sanaa between government forces and armed tribal rebels, after Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh refused to ink the Gulf deal to ease him out of office; Kazinform refers to Xinhua.
The clashes took place midday Monday in the vital district of Hassaba, where a number of government ministries and facilities are located, between government soldiers and armed tribesmen hired by the defected leader of powerful Hashid tribe Sheikh Sadeq al- Ahmar.
At least 14 people from both sides have been killed so far and 61 others have been wounded, according to a security official.
The official, who asked not to be named, told Xinhua that the rebels of al-Ahmar were trying to break into the state-run Saba news agency and the interior ministry.
"The tribal rebels fired machine guns, mortar's shells and rocket-propelled grenades on government buildings... the government forces fired back," he said.
The ongoing clashes forced the government authorities to use fighter jets and tanks to end what the officials described as " mess caused by those backward armed tribesmen who seek to seize the power by force and civil war rather than dialogue or free elections."
The authorities blocked nearly all the main roads as local residents formed popular committees to protect their neighborhoods; Kazinform cites Xinhiua.
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