The clashes erupted when members of the Republican Guards, led by the son of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, were protesting near the defense ministry against a recent military reorganization ordered by Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Casualties were reported from both sides, and the killed include a woman and a children, the source said.
"About 250 soldiers of the elite Republican Guard forces protesting over military restructure tried to attack the defense ministry with machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades," a government official told Xinhua.
"Just few hours after the clashes, police reinforcements were deployed around the ministry headquarters... Situation (is) now under control," he added.
About 40 protesters were arrested for trying to storm the ministry building, a military source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
"All roads leading to the ministry are completely blocked... Gunshots and clashes (are) raging out across Sanaa," a witness near the scene told Xinhua anonymously.
The armed clashes came a week after the current president, Hadi, issued a republican decree to restructure the army forces, including reducing the number of units under the command of Saleh' s son, and replacing several relative and loyalists to the former president.
Restructuring the armed forces remains a priority of Hadi, who seeks to ensure a successful political reconciliation and pave the way for a national dialogue expected in November to end disputes among all political forces, in order to focus efforts on fighting al-Qaida branch in the country.
from XINHUA
2012-08-15 01:58:10
Washington Time
Kabul Time
London Time
0 comments:
Post a Comment