SANAA (Reuters) – At least 26 people were shot dead and hundreds wounded yesterday when security forces fired on demonstrators who charged police lines in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, in a dramatic escalation of protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Gunfire and explosions were heard late into the night and protesters vowed to continue demonstrations this morning. A Reuters witness earlier saw security forces fire at protesters from buildings and use water cannon and tear gas to hold back tens of thousands of demonstrators.
Some of the protesters were wielding batons or throwing petrol bombs at police cars. “Why are you still sitting here? Get moving everyone, move. Go defend the martyrs’ honour,” blared a voice on loudspeakers in Change Square, where thousands have camped out in tents for eight months to demand an end to Saleh’s 33-year rule.
Hundreds still in the ramshackle camp answered the call, running and chanting “God is great, freedom!“ as they streamed down the street.
“This is the worst day I’ve seen in three months. We’re expecting more dead to come in,” said doctor Jamal al-Hamdani, who was treating dozens of patients with bullet wounds.
The injured were rushed in on stretchers and laid out on blood-streaked floors in a mosque being used as a makeshift hospital. Medics there estimated some 342 had suffered gunshot wounds, with 36 in a critical condition.
The face of one dead man was torn away from an injury medics said appeared to be caused by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fired at his head.
