Affrontements à Sanaa – 13 février 2011

Yemeni protesters march on palace, clashes erupt

torontosun.com

By MOHAMMED GHOBARI AND MOHAMED SUDAM, REUTERS : February 13, 2011

SANAA — Anti-government protesters clashed with police trying to prevent them from marching towards Yemen’s presidential palace in Sanaa on Sunday, witnesses said.

Shortly before the clashes, the opposition agreed to enter talks with President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is keen to avert an Egypt-style revolt in the country, a U.S. ally against al Qaeda.

« The Yemeni people want the fall of the regime, » protesters shouted during the demonstration attended by about 1,000 people, before dozens broke off to march to the palace. « A Yemeni revolution after the Egyptian revolution. »

Sporadic anti-government protests have gathered momentum in Yemen. Earlier this month, tens of thousands took part in an opposition-led « Day of Rage » to demand a change of government, inspired by popular protests in Tunisia and Egypt.

Pro- and anti-government protesters have clashed in recent days.

Opposition officials said 10 protesters were detained in Sanaa and 120 were taken into custody overnight in the city of Taiz, where authorities broke up a demonstration on Saturday.

Four people were hurt in the Sanaa clashes, in which police hit protesters with batons and demonstrators threw rocks at police, witnesses said.

Saleh, in power for more than three decades and concerned about unrest in some parts of the Arab world, has said he will step down in 2013 and pledged his son will not take over the reins of government. He invited the opposition for talks. Read more…