SANA, Yemen — The Yemeni capital was rocked by violence Monday for a second straight day as government forces clashed with demonstrators and defected soldiers, leaving at least 25 people dead.
That raised the death toll to more than 50 in one of the worst spates of violence since demonstrations against President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 33-year rule began nearly eight months ago.
Monday’s clashes began as demonstrators attempted to extend their protest camp into government-controlled territory. Witnesses said demonstrators were then targeted by repeated sniper fire, which also struck numerous bystanders.
The sniper fire sparked a series of clashes between pro-government forces, including plainclothes gunmen, and troops under the command of Brig. Gen. Ali Mohsen, a former Saleh ally who defected to the side of demonstrators in March.
The area surrounding the centrally located neighborhood where clashes began remained a virtual war zone, reportedly leaving numerous civilians trapped in the middle of the fighting. The sounds of shooting and rocket fire echoed through the capital, while Sana’s international airport was temporarily shuttered for the first time since demonstrations began, although it later reopened.
The dead ranged from a 10-month- old infant, reportedly killed by a stray bullet, to defected soldiers and demonstrating youths. Some bodies were missing limbs, ripped apart by weaponry.
Events in Sana rippled across the country as demonstrators rallied in support. Four people were reported killed in Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city, when government forces opened fire on a demonstration.
This latest outburst of violence has raised fears that the crisis in Yemen could rapidly spiral out of control. The nation has been adrift amid a protracted political stalemate, as Saleh and his loyalists continue to cling to power despite months of street protests and increasing international pressure.
Saleh, who traveled to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment after being seriously injured in an assassination attempt more than three months ago and has remained there ever since, has repeatedly backed away from signing a power-transfer agreement negotiated by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.
