Yemen protesters clash with police

SANAA: Hundreds of protesters demanding the ouster of Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh clashed with police in Sanaa on Sunday, the third day of anti-government protests, the BBC reported.

Violence broke out after demonstrators, who were chanting "A Yemeni revolution after the Egyptian revolution," tried to reach the presidential palace. Witnesses said several people were hurt as police armed with batons clashed with stone-throwing protesters.

On Saturday, supporters of the president, armed with knives and sticks, attacked demonstrators in the capital, according to the BBC.

President Saleh, who has been in power since 1978, pledged earlier this month not to seek his reelection in 2013 or hand over power to his son. On Sunday, the country's opposition accepted the political reform initiative.

Yemen has been witnessing protests since Tunisian ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali escaped to Saudi Arabia and they have gathered momentum with the success of Egypt's revolution.

The poorest country in the Arab world, Yemen has suffered several internal conflicts in recent times, including a growing threat of al-Qaeda militants. In addition to the conflicted northern region, southern Yemen is also volatile due to a separatist movement and frequent attacks against security forces.

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