Yemeni Police Fire on Demonstrators as Violence Continues
VOA News April 19, 2011
Witnesses in southern Yemen say police have fired on anti-government protesters, wounding several people.
The demonstrators suffered gunshot wounds Tuesday while demanding the ouster of embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the city of Taiz.
Anti-government protesters have been calling for an end to Saleh's 32-year rule for the past two months. The Yemeni president has indicated he is willing to step down in an orderly transition, but the opposition wants his immediate departure.
The U.N. Security Council plans to discuss the unrest in Yemen for the first time since the protests began. Tuesday's meeting on Yemen was proposed by Germany's ambassador, and diplomats say the meeting will send a political signal that the unrest is of growing concern to the international community.
Also, a high-level delegation from Yemen's ruling party is set to meet Tuesday in the United Arab Emirates with mediators from the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Opposition leaders met Council foreign ministers in Saudi Arabia Sunday without any breakthrough.
Violence between pro-Saleh forces and opposition activists has killed more than 116 people since protests began in late January.
On Monday, at least 80 people were wounded in the Red Sea port of al-Hudaydah when security forces fired on protesters demanding Saleh's ouster.
Residents say plainclothes police fired live ammunition, while other security officials used clubs and tear gas against demonstrators.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
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