Fighting Erupts in Sanaa as Truce Breaks Down
Fierce fighting erupted around the Sanaa home of dissident tribal chief Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar on Tuesday as a truce that ended deadly clashes last week broke down, an Agence France Presse correspondent reported.
There wrere also heavy exchanges between the tribesmen and loyalist troops around the headquarters of the military police and the official Saba news agency, as well as in a major thoroughfare, the correspondent said.
The government of veteran President Ali Abdullah Saleh accused fighters loyal to Ahmar of breaking the truce which the tribal chief announced on Friday.
The defense ministry's 26sep.net news website said that his tribesmen had seized both the headquarters of the ruling General People's Congress and the main offices of the water utility.
But sources close to Ahmar accused Saleh's forces of breaking the truce by firing on his compound in the north of the capital.
A plume of black smoke could be seen billowing into the sky over the area, witnesses said.
There was no immediate word on any casualties. Dozens died in last week's fighting.
Ahmar said on Friday that "there is a truce between us and Ali Abdullah Saleh" for mediation to take place, speaking at a funeral for 30 of his fighters killed in clashes with Saleh's forces in the capital between Monday and Thursday.
"If the Saleh regime wants a peaceful revolution, we are ready for that. If he chooses war, we will fight him," Ahmar said.
In March, Ahmar pledged his support for protesters who have been demonstrating since January for the departure from office of Saleh, who has been in power since 1978.
Source: Agence France Presse
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