SANAA, 28 April 2003 — Gunfights marred Yemen’s first parliamentary elections in six years Sunday, with 15 people being wounded despite a heavy military presence and stern government warnings against committing acts of violence.

Polling ended late yesterday after election officials extended voting by two hours at a number of polling stations. Abdu Al-Janadi, head of the Supreme Commission for Elections, said the results should be announced within 72 hours.

Yemen’s president ordered 100,000 troops to maintain security yesterday, but gunfights outside polling stations in several Yemeni provinces wounded 14 rival party supporters and a soldier. Three stations were closed because of violence.

More than eight million Yemeni men and women were expected to vote for 1,200 candidates contesting 301 seats in Yemen’s first elections in six years. Twenty-two political parties are being represented, while some candidates are running as independents. Eleven women also stood as candidates.

Voter turnout as high as 60 percent was recorded in some stations during the early hours of voting.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s ruling General People’s Congress, which is expected to dominate the voting, fielded 297 candidates, more than any other party. The Islamic Reform Party and the Socialist Party — Yemen’s two main opposition groups — put up 250 and 114 candidates respectively. Observers say despite strong challenges expected from the Islamic Reform Party and the Socialists, Saleh’s Congress would likely win the most seats. The ruling party uses public funds to back its own representatives, mostly tribal leaders who enjoy wide support across this country.

After casting his vote Yemen’s capital Sanaa, Saleh said: “We want all political powers to be represented under the Parliament’s dome. We want all the parties to have a chance and we don’t want a 99.9 percent majority.”

Mohammed Al-Hamadani, aged in his 60s, said he voted for his tribal chief. “I don’t know nothing about his program or such things. I voted for him and I leave the rest up to his conscience,” said Al-Hamadani, from a village outside Sanaa.

Teacher Faiza Al-Khawlani said she voted for a candidate to work for improving conditions for women in this conservative society. “Women suffer a lot from violating their rights because of customs and traditions (in Yemen),” she said. “I voted for someone who will defend women’s right in society.”

The outgoing Parliament had two female members.

The election day violence, which is common in this lawless southern Arabian Peninsula where guns are plentiful, followed clashes last week involving candidates, party supporters and government forces in which 10 people were injured.

More than 10 people were killed and dozens injured in violence the last time Yemenis voted during municipal elections in 2001.

Saleh on Saturday said the elections would be called off in any district where voting was “marred by violence” and “any party or individual will be held accountable for breaking the law.”

In Taiz province, 270 km (170 miles) south of the capital, Sanaa, 11 people were injured in clashes at polling stations between rival party supporters. Three area polling stations were closed following several shootings.

An Islamic Reform Party official said voting was stopped in 15 other stations around Yemen because of chaos, violence and irregularities. This could not be immediately confirmed by election authorities.

In Amran, 60 km (35 miles) north of Sanaa, a soldier and a man were injured during another shootout. Two others were injured in Dhamar, some 100 km (62 miles) south of the capital.