Tanks face thousands of protesters in Yemen

The southern city of Aden was shut down by protests as government forces and tanks held off tens of thousands of stone-throwing opposition supporters.

SANA'A // Riot police and tanks held off tens of thousands of protesters in South Yemen yesterday, as demonstrations continued to paralyse parts of the country.

In the southern city of Aden, anti-government protesters set tires on fire and barricaded main roads with boulders to stop the approach of tanks, witnesses said. Stone-throwing clashes broke out with police, but no injuries were reported.

Workers and students appeared to abide by calls for a general strike yesterday in Aden and in Taiz, another southern city, witnesses and media reported.

Seven protesters were wounded in the city of Hodeidah on the Red Sea yesterday when police used gunfire and batons to disperse thousands of anti-government activists who had gathered to denounce police harassment and demand the dismissal of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

In Sana'a yesterday, protesters who have been dug in at Change Square for several weeks, moved their camp to the neighbouring street to avoid what they claim is harassment by security agents, according to Abdulhafiz Mujaab, a protest organiser.

"When the protesters moved to the street next to the protest site, police attacked them with gunfire, batons and tear gas and then withdrew. The protesters were denouncing the harassment they face at the hands of intelligence agents. They shoot gunfire at the protesters and follow them to their homes," Mr Mujaab said by telephone.

According to witnesses, several streets in Aden were blocked and dozens of shops were closed in response to the opposition's calls to shut down the city.

"I have to walk because there are no buses and several main streets have been blocked by rocks to prevent the movement of the security and army troops. Many people did not go to work," said Fawaz Sharabi, a resident of Aden.

Mr Sharabi said that when police, backed by armoured vehicles, moved to open the blocked roads the protesters responded by throwing stones.

The situation in Sana'a has also intensified in recent days after protest leaders threatened to march en masse to the presidential palace. It is unclear if the planned march will proceed.

Ahmed al Zorkah, an independent analyst and a freelance writer, said the march could easily lead to armed confrontations.

"The march will give the regime and its supporters the chance to use excessive force as they would look at it as a military coup attempt rather than an act of civil disobedience or protest," Mr al Zorkah said.

"The expansion of the protests and the move to an act of civil disobedience, where life gets paralysed, will be more effective."

But tens of thousands of Saleh loyalists have also gathered for rallies in Sana'a, while army forces and armoured vehicles have been deployed around the presidential compound. Yesterday, Mr Saleh thanked thousands of supporters gathered near the presidential palace for backing the constitution in a further sign he has no immediate plans to step down.

According to Mr Zorkah, Mr Saleh is spending lavishly for the remaining support he has from military and tribal leaders in the mostly impoverished country.

"This buying of loyalties will have a negative impact on the already poor budget," said Mr Zorkah. "And more economic hardships will only agitate the anger of the people against his regime."