Heavy explosions rock Yemeni capital

PanARMENIAN.Net - Heavy explosions rocked the Yemeni capital Sanaa in the early hours of Thursday, May 26, as fighting to topple the veteran president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, threatened to descend into civil war, Reuters reported.

More than 40 people have been killed since Monday in a part of northern Sanaa where fighters loyal to powerful tribal leader Sadiq al-Ahmar have been attacking and trying to take over government buildings including the Interior Ministry.

"The explosions can be heard across town in the south of Sanaa. This seems to be heavier weapons than the machineguns and the mortars of the past few days," one resident said.

Each side blamed the other for the violence, which the opposition said could start a civil war. The United States and Saudi Arabia, both targets of foiled attacks by a wing of al Qaeda based in Yemen, have tried to defuse the crisis and avert any spread of anarchy that could give the global militant network more room to operate.

Washington ordered all non-essential diplomats and embassy family members to leave the country.

"The security threat level in Yemen is extremely high due to terrorist activities and civil unrest. There is ongoing civil unrest throughout the country and large-scale protests in major cities," the State Department said.

Citizens were fleeing the capital to escape the fighting in the Hasaba area of Sanaa, which erupted a day after Saleh pulled out for the third time from a Gulf Arab-brokered deal for him to step down and make way for a national unity government.