3 south Yemenis killed in clashes with police

San’a: A local official says three protesters have been killed and dozens of others wounded after clashes with police in southern Yemen.

The official says police were trying to prevent activists from staging an anti-government protest in Atak, a town in south Yemen.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media, added that four policemen were also wounded in Wednesday's clashes.

The incident is the latest in a steady series of protests underlining mounting tensions between the north and south more than a decade after a 1994 southern attempt to secede was quashed.

Since August, southern cities and towns have been the scene of constant demonstrations by southerners complaining of neglect and discrimination.