Sana’a: At least 17 people were killed in two days of escalating violence in south Yemen provinces.
Local sources in the province of Shabwa said on Tuesday that at least four soldiers and two secessionists were killed in clashes between policemen and protesters in the provincial capital of Attaq.
Hundreds of people rallied in streets of the city to protest against the death of a prominent tribal leader in the province of Hadramout early this month. Twelve people were also injured in the clashes. It was not known what caused the clashes.
In Dhale province clashes erupted on Monday between police and armed secessionists outside the government compound.
Local journalist told Gulf News that five policemen and two secessionists were killed in the clashes. The police said the armed protesters were trying to storm the complex to hoist former south Yemen flag. But protesters said police began shooting at the peaceful gathering outside the compound and they returned the fire in self-defence.
In Hadramout, spokesperson of Hadramout Tribal Alliance Saleh Binamrat told Gulf News that two warplanes and two helicopters pounded for the first time positions of tribesmen besieging army troops that protect oil companies in Gail Bin Youmain.
Binamrat said four soldiers were killed in the same area in clashes with tribesmen on Monday. Security officials were not available to confirm the death of soldiers.
Violence in south Yemen has flared when Hadramout Tribal Alliance, an umbrella gathering of powerful tribes in the oil-rich province of Hadramout, called for uprising on December 20 to protest against the death of a prominent tribal leader on December 2. Government has tried to mollify the angry tribesmen who live in the vicinity of big oil fields in Al Masila, Hadrmaout. Four days of violence have paralysed many cities in the south in which schools, shops and others businesses were destroyed.
