Civil war looms as big explosions rock Yemeni capital

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.

The demonstrators fire Yemeni security forces. 3 dead

SANA'A, Yemen - Yemeni security opened fire on demonstrators and launched rockets at a building on Monday as they have happened against a protest in the city of Taiz flashpoint in the South of the country. Three people were killed, witnesses and medics said.

The attacks came a day after demonstrators began a sit-in on one of the main streets of the city, and that tensions escalate across the country between Embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh and demonstrators seeking his eviction.

Security forces opened fire on demonstrators and shot guns in water and tear gas on them at dawn, witnesses said.

Field doctor Sadeq al-Shujah, said three demonstrators were killed and dozens injured, including six people in a State critical.

Security forces also chased demonstrators into side streets and buildings where they took cover. They launched rockets into an office building where they believed that the demonstrators were hidden, said activist Nouh al-Wafi.

The explosion set fire to the building, but there was no case of loss, al-Wafi said.

One protester, Ghazi al-Samai, said people themselves barricaded in the small streets with rocks and garbage cans to push the security forces.

Yemen is shaken by three months of protests demanding the eviction of the Saleh. In position for more than three decades, Saleh has intensified its crackdown on the protests and refused an offer of regional mediation.

More than 140 people were reportedly killed in the Government's crackdown on the protests to intensifies.

The Pact negotiated by the Gulf Cooperation Council - to resign - Saleh appeared close to success a week ago. But the President backed away from her last weekend saying that he would aid sign rather than himself so. The deadlock that threatens to plunge already unstable nation deeper into turmoil.

Also Monday, protesters, Sana'a, the capital rallied in the main square. Some called for a March on the Palace of Saleh, chanting: "without dialogue, walking is the final decision."

Organizers were considering the decision but feared that a small protest can be easily set aside by the heavy security around the Palace.

Some demonstrators came with their residential numbers written in red on the chest, an indication that they were ready to die in protests and wanted to make it easier to have their bodies identified.

Yemeni opposition rejects Saleh position on delivery

SANAA- the Friday Yemen opposition has rejected the position of President Ali Abdullah Saleh on a revised plan for the Gulf to relieve him of the power, as gathered for mass demonstrations against him and for the security forces.

The ruling party, said Thursday night that Saleh would not sign the agreement before the end of the representatives of the ruling party and the opposition had signed. Leader of the opposition Sultan Atwani said Reuters Friday his coalition would not accept.

The plan proposed by the Gulf Cooperation Council envisages Saleh resign 30 days after the signing of the agreement in the hope that this will end three bitter months of protests demanding his resignation, which at least 130 people were killed.

But the opposition suspicious Saleh, a political survivor cunning for more than 30 years and until now a key ally of the United States and Saudi Arabia in the fight against al-Qaida.

"Us won't accept unless the President sign as a party to the agreement, and we call the CCG and the United States and the European Union to put pressure on Saleh to sign the initiative", said Atwani.

Saleh appeared to sign the agreement, which guarantees him and his family immunity and aid prosecutions, but last week refused to put his name to the transaction in his capacity as President.

The proposed GCC plan amended Thursday in which 15 representatives of the party in power and the political opposition would ink the plan in Sana'a, only Saleh and the head of the opposition, but in vain.

ARABS WANT CALM YEMEN

A GCC source has said the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Gulf Reuters may try to meet in Riyadh Sunday to discuss the political crisis of the Yemen.

Arab Gulf States including oil giant Saudi Arabia, close to the Yemen, are eager to see peace return to the Yemen, a poor state who have difficulties to handle internal rebellions and home to the branch of the Arabian Peninsula active al-Qaeda.

But demonstrators anti-Saleh, berserk on corruption and poverty, eager to see Saleh accountable and fearing to be sold by politicians of the opposition, are increasingly impatient at the delay.

Large crowds were expected to turn out after prayers Friday, for and against the Government, and the security forces took up positions in the streets of the capital Sanaa Thursday evening. Residents, said that they had heard shots.

There are also signs Saleh and his party more go away from the proposal of the CCG in insisting protests must stop in the Covenant to move, a move likely to irritate the opposition and infuriate protest camps in Sana'a, Taiz and elsewhere.

An official of the ruling party, "success of the initiative requires that both parties to stop all elements that could cause of policies or security tensions... that will necessarily include end of sit-ins and protests and acts of sabotage," said Thursday.

Meanwhile Saudi State GCC Secretary General Abdullatif al-Zayani said that he was "optimistic about the achievement of the objective in the near future", the news agency reported.

"The disagreements on the procedures for the signing of the agreement will be resolved through consultations between the Council of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the GCC and the Secretary General of the GCC," he was quoted as saying.