At least 41 more killed in Sana'a as battles continue

Woman protester in Sana'a wrote 'Kulena Taiz' (We are all Taiz) on her palms in a reaction to the massacre that took place in Taiz on Sunday and Monday.   

Heavy figfhting continued on Wednesday in the Yemeni capital Sana'a between forces loyal to president Ali Abdallah Saleh and forces of the Hashed tribes led by sheikh Sadeq al-Ahmar. Explosions were heard and smoke billowed over the city. Details of the fights are scarce, however, due to power cuts, a news black-out and a shut down of the telephone exchanges. 

According to various sources and the press agency AP, at least 41 people have been killed in overnight shelling and street battles. The Hashed have recaptured most of the government buildings they earlier evacuated under a truce that collapsed on Monday. According to AP Presidential Guard units also shelled the headquarters of a brigade responsible for guarding sensitive government institutions. Army officers who have defected to the opposition say the government suspected the brigade commander was about to join the movement to oust President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

In Taiz, where some 60 people are believed to have been killed when Saleh's forces and thugs opened fire on thousands of protesters on Freedom Square on Sunday, the situation remains very tense. At least 12 people were killed on Tuesday when protesters tried to hold a march onto the square and troops again fired into the crowd. 

Also in the southern town of Zinjibar, which was overrun by islamists on Saturday, the fighting seems to continue. At least 27 soldiers have been killed in the town since Friday. The number of dead civilians and militants remains unclear. A great number of inhabitans have fled the town. There is no new from battles that broke out on Tuesday in Aden and other cities in the south.