Yemenis turn out in huge numbers

Sana'a Yemenis turned out in huge numbers in most provinces yesterday to choose a new leader despite some disruptions in southern cities.

Four people were killed and a dozen injured as government forces skirmished with suspected secessionist gunmen. Thousands of troops backed by tanks and armed vehicles were deployed for the smooth conduct of the presidential poll.

In the capital, thousands queued outside polling stations in the first election where the outgoing president was not a contender. The sole presidential candidate, Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, cast a vote in the capital. Hadi is expected to replace Yemen's long-serving president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Other influential figures and tribal leaders also participated. Saleh's eldest brother Ahmad showed up to choose his father's successor. Witnesses said the voting process went smoothly in the capital.

In Taiz a local journalist told Gulf News the turnout was so unexpectedly high the polling stations ran out of ballot papers.

"Only a handful of people boycotted the election, some of them who are loyal to Al Houthi," witnesses said.

Polling was also peaceful in other northern provinces.

However, the calls for a boycott by the separatist Southern Movement turned into a bloody confrontation between the movement's armed men and security forces.

Clashes occurred in most southern cities. In Aden, three people, including a child, were killed and at least ten were injured when police fired ammunition at crowds who tried to storm polling stations.

Also, heavy gunfire echoed through Mukalla. A soldier was killed and at least a dozen hurt as the southern movement organised rallies to disturb the election. Sitting in an empty polling station in Mukalla city, Jehan Ahmad, a member of the election committee, told Gulf News only 11 women out 500 turned up.

"We received threatening calls and two members of the committee could not come today because Herak [secessionists] prevented them."

Despite the violence in the south, the Supreme Committee for Elections and Referendum said the voting process went according to plan in 292 constituencies and was disturbed only in nine constituencies in the southern provinces of Lahj, Galae and Abyan.