SANAA- heavy explosions rocked the Yemeni capital Sanaa in the small hours of Thursday fighting to overthrow President veteran, Ali Abdullah Saleh, threatened to descend into civil war.
Over 40 people were killed since Monday in a part of Sanaa North where fighters loyal to the powerful tribal leader Sadiq al-Ahmar have been attacker and attempt to take in charge the Government buildings, including the Department of the Interior.
A correspondent for Reuters was awakened after midnight by these more recent explosions.
"Explosions can be heard throughout the city in the South of Sanaa. "This seems to be weapons heavier than machine guns and mortars in recent days," said a resident.
Each side the other blamed the violence, the opposition said could begin a civil war.
Citizens fled the capital to escape fighting in the region of Hasaba of Sana'a, which broke out a day after Saleh withdrew for the third time in a negotiated settlement to the Gulf Arab for him to resign and make room for a Government of national unity.
Mounting pressure since February, when protesters inspired by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt started to camp in the squares and marching in hundreds of thousands in cities across the Arabian peninsula of the State to call for Saleh's poorest go.
Attempts by Saleh to stop the demonstrations by force resulted in hundreds of deaths.
Saleh, a shrewd political survivor, said Wednesday that he would be no concessions more to those who seek to his departure.
CITY AT WAR
But the capital of the country of 23 million began to feel like a city at war.
Fighters dressed in civilian roamed some districts Wednesday and machine-gun fire sounded sporadically.
Electricity was intermittent and Sana'a airport has been closed. Many city-centre streets were deserted in the afternoon, but for government control points.
Long lines of cars winding out of the city bags stacked on their roof, while armed men blocked entrances to prevent the tribes to bring reinforcements, said witnesses.
"It is possible to stay in Sanaa." Confrontations will reach all parts of the city, "said Abdullah Murad." which he left in car "I fear for my life." I will go to my village in Ibb. The situation is safe. ?
Witnesses and officials, said supporters of Ahmar, head of the Federation tribal Hashed tribe of Sanhan which Saleh belongs also controlled several buildings Department near Ahmar compound, including trade and tourism ministries, and offices from the Saba news agency.
Veterans of the Ahmar has also attacked the main building of the Ministry of the Interior, which were courtyard of rockets, witnesses said.
The television images of the Ahmar compose showed tribes rushing through rooms opulent but dusty, their floors splashed with blood, as they helped colleagues wounded in the fighting.
Saleh said invited journalists, including a correspondent of Reuters Wednesday that his Government was "firm".
"Money with the shock of what happened to us by the son of al-Ahmar: chaos and attacks against the institutions of the State, the press and the Ministry of industry and the Ministry of the Interior." It is an act of provocation to drag us into a civil war...
"We are contacting some people to talk to them and convince them to stop trying to storm, the Ministry of the Interior and the opening of the Fire Department to avoid the conflict widening."
Saba said four civilians were killed and 11 wounded in the fighting on Wednesday.
"THIRST FOR BLOODSHED".
Subject turn Saleh-Sunday after armed men loyalist trapped diplomats Western and Arab to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates United for hours, appeared sparked a major reaction.
General Ali al-Mohsen, a commander of the regional army who has sided with the demonstrators, called the armed forces to defy Saleh.
"Beware of follow this madman who is thirsty for blood," Mohsen said in a statement.
"I think that it is a real risk that violence can escalate, and we see a movement towards low-intensity civil war," said Shadi Hamid, analyst at the Brookings Doha Center.
"There is a real loss of faith in the political process after Saleh refused to sign an agreement several times.". That really cast doubt on whether Saleh has any real commitment to let go of power voluntarily. ?
Saleh said that the deal was still on the table, despite its repeated failures to sign:
I am ready to sign in a national dialogue and a clear mechanism. If the mechanism is valid, we will sign the transition of power deal and we will give up power...
"No concession over after today", said.
The United States and Saudi Arabia, the two targets of attacks foiled by an al-Qaeda wing based in Yemen, sought to defuse the crisis and to avoid any spread of lawlessness that would give more space to operate the global activist network.
Spokesman for the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki - moon Martin Nesirky said ban was deeply troubled by clashes in Sanaa and further calls the peace efforts and the immediate end to the fighting, while Britain reiterated calls Saleh to sign the contract of output.
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