Thaindian News

TAIZ, YEMEN (BNO NEWS) — At least eight civilians were killed and dozens more were injured on early Wednesday when Yemeni government forces attacked protesters in the southern province of Taiz, medics said.

According to medics, two children were among the dead while six other children were injured. Yasser al-Nusari, a medic who was at the scene, told the Yemen Post that at least 30 civilians were injured in the attacks.

The death toll is now at eight, but it is expected to rise as attacks intensified throughout the morning. Clashes continued at six different fronts in the city while tens of tanks were seen stationed at all the main roads of the city, the newspaper reported.

Eyewitnesses told the Xinhua news agency that “opposition-led armed tribesmen”, who are supporting protesters demanding an immediate end to the 33-year rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, began to fire back against Saleh’s loyalist troops, destroying a tank of the government’s elite Republican Guards.

On Tuesday, shelling hit some residential areas in Taiz, injuring several civilians and destroying dozens of houses. In addition, two defected soldiers and two children were killed and another five civilians were injured in the capital.

Tensions have escalated since Saleh returned to Yemen after spending more than three months in Saudi Arabia to recover from injuries he sustained in a rocket attack which hit the mosque of the presidential palace in Sanaa on June 3.

Protesters have been demanding the resignation of government leaders and President Saleh since January. Tensions have soared as both the government forces and the pro-protests defected army have recently deployed troops in central cities, including the capital Sanaa.