The attack was the deadliest in months against protesters, who have been massing daily in Sanaa and other cities since February to demand Saleh’s removal. The protests have swelled the past week as the movement tries to renergize, angered by Saleh’s latest decision to deputize his president to negotiate a power-transfer deal. Many believe the move is just the latest of many delaying tactics.
Greater numbers of security forces and armed regime supporters have also been turning out in the streets in recent days, hiking the tensions.
More than 100,000 protesters massed Sunday around the state television building and government offices. When the crowd began to march toward the nearby Presidential Palace, security forces opened fie, the witnesses said. Regime snipers fired down at the crowd from nearby rooftops, and plainclothes Saleh supporters armed with automatic rifles, swords and batons attacked the protesters.
“This peaceful protest was confronted by heavy weapons and anti-aircraft guns,” said Mohammed Al-Sabri, an opposition spokesman. He vowed that the escalating protests “will not stop and will not retreat.”
Mohammed Al-Abahi, a doctor at Sanaa field hospital, said that a total of 12 protesters were shot dead and more than 200 were injured. “Most of the injuries are at the chest, shoulder, head and face.” A number of 25 of injured protesters are in critical condition. He also accused security forces of preventing ambulances from rescuing the injured and collecting bodies of the slain protesters.
Protesters throwing stones managed to break through security forces lines and advance to near the Yemeni Republican Palace at the heart of Sanaa, turning the clashes with the security forces into street battles.
President Saleh has been in Saudi Arabia since the summer, recovering from burns and other wounds from an explosion at his palace. Still, he has resisted calls for him to outright resign. He deputized his vice president to discuss a Gulf-mediated, US-backed deal under which he would step down in return for immunity for prosecution. But Saleh has already balked three times at signing such a deal.
Demonstrations also took place Sunday in many Yemeni cities including Taiz, Saada, Ibb and Damar
