Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Security Forces Open Fire on Protesters in Southern Yemen

   VOA News  May 11, 2011
   An anti-government protester displays spent bullet cases during a
   demonstration demanding the ouster of Yemen's President Ali Abdullah
   Saleh in the southern city of Taiz, May 11, 2011

Photo: Reuters

   An anti-government protester displays spent bullet cases during a
   demonstration demanding the ouster of Yemen's President Ali Abdullah
   Saleh in the southern city of Taiz, May 11, 2011

   Yemeni activists and medics say at least one person has died after
   security forces opened fire on anti-government protesters in southern
   Yemen.
   They say the incident took place Wednesday in Taiz, the country's third
   largest city. On Tuesday, opposition protesters in Taiz burned tires on
   a road. Also, anti-government demonstrators in the capital, Sana'a,
   chanted slogans against President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
   Meanwhile, representatives of six Gulf nations urged Yemen's government
   and opposition leaders to sign an agreement that calls for President
   Saleh's resignation.
   The Gulf Cooperation Council made the call in a joint statement Tuesday
   as it wrapped up a summit in Saudi Arabia.
   In the statement, council members said the agreement they brokered
   represented Yemen's "best way" out of its current political crisis and
   would "spare the country further political division and deterioration
   of security."
   The plan calls for Saleh to hand over power to a deputy and step down
   within 30 days. It also calls for the establishment of a unity
   government that includes the opposition.
   However, Saleh has refused to sign the agreement in his capacity as
   president. He says he will only sign it as leader of the ruling General
   People's Congress party. He told supporters on Friday that he will
   resist calls for his resignation until a solution comes forward that
   meets constitutional standards.
   Yemeni opposition activists angered by corruption and poverty have been
   staging daily protests since January to demand an end to Saleh's 33
   years in power.
   In a separate development, the leader of al-Qaida's Yemen branch is
   warning that the group's jihad (holy war) will become more intense as a
   result of the May 2 death of Osama bin Laden. The threat from al-Qaida
   of the Arabian Peninsula leader Nasir al-Wahisi was posted on Islamist
   extremist websites on Tuesday. Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan by U.S.
   forces.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.

   Follow our Middle East reports on [1]Twitter
   and discuss them on our [2]Facebook page.

References

   1. http://twitter.com/VOAMiddleEast
   2. http://www.facebook.com/pages/VOAMiddleEastVoices/124360240958667?%20%20%20%20v=wall

.