Eight killed in Yemen protests

As Yemen is rocked by a new wave of explosions and gunfire towards the anti-regime protesters by troops, eight people have been reported dead in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, the Associated Press reports.

The battles occurring overnight also wounded 27 people who opposed President Ali Abdullah Saleh, according to medics and a tribal source, the AP reports.

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Four people were killed and at least 25 were injured after a protest camp outside Sanaa’s University,, hit by shells from troops loyal to Saleh, Bloomberg reports. Saleh has accused the opposition of trying to take power, and said his government is proof of cooperation between the Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaeda to encourage unrest, Bloomberg reports.

"We condemn in the strongest terms the use of force against demonstrators and call on parties to exercise restraint… Violence should stop and the international law, mainly human rights, should be respected," said foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero, the AP reports.

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Protesters blame Saleh for a lack of democratic reform, widespread corruption and human rights abuses, the BBC reports.

Violence has escalated in Yemen since Saleh’s return from recuperating in Saudi Arabia from injuries during a rocket attack, Bloomberg reports. Saleh has held power in Yemen for more than three decades.

Thousands of women held a protest near the foreign ministry in Sanaa on Monday, where other protesters were shot dead on Saturday, the AP reports.
"Those who kill the youths of the revolution and peaceful demonstrators should be executed," said a banner carried by the protesters, the AP reports.

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