Blood flows in the streets of Sanaa

Police opened fire when protesters tried to break through a police cordon. They also sprayed them with tear gas as tens of thousands spilled out of Change Square, where many youths have camped out since early this year demanding President Ali Abdullah Saleh end his 33-year rule.

Injured protesters were rushed to a field hospital in the square on stretchers. "This is the worst day I've seen in three months. We're expecting more dead to come in," said Dr. Jamal Al-Hamdani, who was treating patients.

A Reuters witness saw dozens of men slumped on the ground, overcome by tear gas inhalation. Men on motorbikes and ambulances whisked them away from the scene.

Saleh, recovering in Saudi Arabia from a June assassination attempt, is holding onto power despite international pressure to quit and eight months of protests, which have paralyzed the country.

The Defense Ministry said on its website protesters threw petrol bombs, setting a police car ablaze. State media blamed gunmen belonging to opposition parties for opening fire on the march.

Frustrated by Saleh's tenacity and their failure to dislodge him, protesters are seeking to ratchet up demonstrations, which have dragged into their eighth month; Kazinform cites Arab News.

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