16 Killed in Latest Mass Protest in Yemen

Posted on Sep 18, 2011

Flickr / Sallam

Yemenis protest in Sanaa in March of this year.

At least 16 people were killed when troops opened fire with anti-aircraft guns on anti-government protesters peacefully massed around a state television building and government offices in the Yemeni capital on Sunday, according to witnesses. Over 200 were reported wounded.

Demonstrations intensified this week after President Ali Abdullah Saleh assigned the negotiation of a power transfer deal to his vice president. Saleh, who survived an assassination attempt in June, is still in Saudi Arabia recovering from his wounds.

Yemenis have suffered more than 1,000 casualties in seven months of protest against government corruption, unemployment and poor economic conditions. —ARK

The Guardian:

Witnesses said more than 100,000 protesters massed on Sunday around the state TV building and government offices, and security forces opened fire when they began to march toward the nearby presidential palace. Snipers fired from 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 protests “will not stop and will not retreat”.

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