Six more die in Yemen protests

SANAA/TEHRAN - At least six people were killed in clashes between government supporters and pro-democracy protesters who are demanding the ouster of Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a media report said.

Four people died during protests in the southern port city of Aden Saturday, and a student was killed in the city of Taiz, Iran’s Press TV reported Sunday.

Another student demonstrator was killed near the Sanaa University campus in the capital Saturday. The 16-year-old was shot dead when government supporters armed with guns, batons and rocks were trying to break into the campus.

Yemeni security forces reportedly did not intervene.

Saturday was the ninth consecutive day that demonstrators had called for the ouster of Saleh.

Yemenis, angered by corruption and unemployment in the country and inspired by the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia, are demanding that Saleh step down after 32 years of autocratic rule.

Last week, Saleh said that he would not run in the 2013 presidential election.

On Friday, at least three pro-democracy protesters were killed and dozens of others injured during clashes with security forces in Aden’s Khor Maqsar district, witnesses said.

A hand grenade was hurled into a crowd of demonstrators in the city of Taiz, killing two people and leaving at least 25 injured, the report said.

Friday’s violence came a day after Yemeni riot police opened fire to disperse thousands of anti-government protesters in Aden. The police action left four dead.

In Sanaa, 40 people were injured after Saleh loyalists armed with guns attacked a crowd of protesters Thursday.