Yemen forces 'open fire on protesters' Skip to main content

Yemen forces 'open fire on protesters'

A medic helps an injured anti-government protester in Sanaa (18 March 2011). Doctors said that most of the injuries were to the neck, head and chest of protesters

Related Stories

At least 33 anti-government protesters have been shot dead by Yemeni forces in Sanaa, doctors have told the BBC.
They said 145 were wounded when government forces opened fire on a group of protesters gathered near the university, following Friday prayers.
Armed men in plain clothes took aim from positions on top of nearby buildings in Taghyeer Square.
A month of violence has shaken Yemen, with protesters demanding that President Ali Abdullah Saleh step down.
The BBC understands he is to address the country shortly on television.
Reuters reports that tens of thousands of protesters were also gathered in cities across the country - from the southern port of Aden to Hodeida, in the west.
"Most of the wounds were to the head, neck and chest," one doctor told AFP about Friday's shooting.
Popular revolts
Yemen is one of a number of countries in the region that have seen unrest since the presidents of Egypt and Tunisia were ousted in popular revolts.

Middle East unrest: Yemen

Map of Yemen
  • President Ali Abdullah Saleh in power since 1978
  • Population 24.3m; land area 536,869 sq km
  • The population has a median age of 17.9, and a literacy rate of 61%
  • Youth unemployment is 15%
  • Gross national income per head is $1,060 (World Bank 2009)
Thousands of people have turned out for regular demonstrations in cities including Sanaa, Aden, Taiz and elsewhere, calling for corruption and unemployment to be tackled and demanding the president step down.
Some 40% of the population live on $2 (£1.20) a day or less in the country, and a third face food shortages.
The protests have often been met by riot police or supporters of President Saleh armed with knives and batons.
On 9 March one person was killed and at least 80 were injured when forces opened fire on a similar protest by a group which has been camped out in front of the university since mid-February.
The president has been power for 32 years, facing a separatist movement in the south, a branch of al-Qaeda, and a periodic conflict with Shia tribes in the north.
He has said he will not seek another term in office in 2013 but has vowed to defend his regime "with every drop of blood".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12783585
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sri Bhaddanta Chandramani Mahathera

The Life Story of A Distinguished And Outstanding Bhikkhu The Most Venerable Saradawpharagree Sri Bhaddanta Chandramani Mahathera The Buddhist missionary Saradaw Ashin U Chandramani was endowed with great gifts and led a famous and long life. He was a very well known, distinguished and outstanding Bhikkhu Mahathera. While living in the Kushinagar Monastery, a place close to where the Lord Buddha had passed away to Nirvana, the Government of India had offered, and he had accepted, the highest, most honourable and respected title "Guru Guru MahaGuru". He became the first ever President of all Buddhists in India.A World Buddhist Conference took place in Kathmandu during the reign of King Mahindra of Nepal. The Conference was very well attended by over one hundred thousand Buddhists from various parts of the world and it was opened by King Mahindra himself. As requested by the King, Saradawpharagree blessed all the participants with the power of Triple Gems...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thai penis whitening trend raises eyebrows

Image copyright LELUXHOSPITAL Image caption Authorities warn the procedure could be quite painful A supposed trend of penis whitening has captivated Thailand in recent days and left it asking if the country's beauty industry is taking things too far. Skin whitening is nothing new in many Asian countries, where darker skin is often associated with outdoor labour, therefore, being poorer. But even so, when a clip of a clinic's latest intriguing procedure was posted online, it quickly went viral. Thailand's health ministry has since issued a warning over the procedure. The BBC Thai service spoke to one patient who had undergone the treatment, who told them: "I wanted to feel more confident in my swimming briefs". The 30-year-old said his first session of several was two months ago, and he had since seen a definite change in the shade. 'What for?' The original Facebook post from the clinic offering the treatment, which uses lasers to break do...
1 comment
Read more

Father of Kao Tao murders suspect requests chance to talk to his son

Migrant worker's father in Rakhine State says he wants to talk to his son. Suspect Win Zaw Htun, in red shirt, sits with suspect Zaw Lin, centre, during a police "re-enactment" of the murder of two British tourists on a beach on Koh Tao, Thailand October 3. Photo: AFP/Thai Police   The murder of two British tourists on a beach in Thailand has caught media attention from around the world. With the focus now on the two Myanmar migrant workers charged with murder, Mizzima talked by phone October 8 to U Tun Tun Hteik, the father of Win Zaw Htun, 21, one of the two suspects. The father lives in Kapi village, Kyaukphyu Township in Rakhine state. Britons Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were murdered on a beach on the Thai island of Kao Tao, 410 kilometres south of Bangkok on September 15. Controversy surrounds the efforts by the Thai authorities to solve the case, with the Thai govern...
Post a Comment
Read more