Deadly clashes spread across Yemen’s capital yesterday as tribesmen joined battles between rival military units, raising fears among frightened residents of a descent into civil war.
Soaring tensions between troops loyal to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his opponents torpedoed efforts on Wednesday by international mediators to promote a Gulf-initiated deal aimed at ending the political impasse that has gripped the country for months.
At least 10 people were killed in separate battles that rocked the capital yesterday.
Four civilians died when they were caught in the crossfire of fighting that erupted between Republican Guard troops commanded by Mr Saleh’s son Ahmed and dissidents loyal to General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, witnesses and medics said.
Mortar rounds slammed into Sanaa’s Change Square and several tents put up by protesters caught fire, witnesses said.
The Defence Ministry website, 26sep.net, reported that 15 soldiers were wounded when Gen. Ahmar’s troops attacked their camp.
Fighting which had been concentrated since Sunday in the city centre and Change Square spread yesterday to the Al-Hasaba district, where gunmen loyal to powerful dissident tribal chief Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar traded fire with followers of Saghir bin Aziz, a tribesman loyal to Mr Saleh, witnesses said.
Four people were killed and six were wounded in shelling that targeted Mr Bin Aziz’s home, according to 26sep.net.
The office of Sheikh Sadiq’s brother Sheikh Hemyar al-Ahmar, whose loyalists also joined in the fighting, announced two guards dead and five wounded in counter shelling.
Tribal sources said that Sheikh Ahmar’s forces hit Bin Aziz’s home with “13 shells,” adding that the fate of the man who belongs to Yemen’s largest tribe Bakil, and who is an MP as well as a Republican Guards officer, “is unknown.”
Witnesses said shells were fired from the interior ministry building at the homes of two Ahmar brothers, Hemyar and Hussein.
Yesterday’s deaths bring the toll since Sunday to 95. Medics said hundreds more had been wounded, adding that most of the casualties were civilians.
“I can no longer open my store for fear of stray bullets, whether from the opposition or government forces. Every day there are many casualties due to the stray bullets,” said Mohammed al-Jabiri, 25, owner of a mobile phone shop.
“The city is empty. Schools, banks and businesses are shut as the ghost of war looms over Sanaa,” one resident said.
Another, who has been holed up in his home for days, said life had become unbearable.
“My children haven’t slept in a week. They have nightmares every night from the shooting and the explosions,” said Amin al-Faqih, 42, a father of three.
“My children beg me every day to take them to a place far far away from here, away from the nightly explosions and gunfire.”