Yemeni anti-government protesters urge release of detainees

Oct 31, 2011, 7:25 GMT

Sana'a - Tens of thousands of protesters in the Yemeni capital Sana'a took to the streets Sunday demanding the release of fellow demonstrators arrested by government security forces since February.

The protesters held a sit-in at al-Adl Street, near Change Square, which has become the focal point of protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The rally expressed solidarity with what participants said were hundreds of protesters detained by the regime. Demonstrators chanted slogans including, 'We are not afraid, we want the killer put on trial.'

Protesters seeking the ouster of Saleh have increasingly demanded that he go on trial over killings carried out during months of protest.

In the Red Sea city of Hudeidah, thousands rallied in front of the Hudeidah Port Authority against the alleged flow of weapons through the port to forces loyal to Saleh.

Earlier on Sunday, opposition sources said that four people had been killed in overnight attacks by troops in Yemen's two largest cities.

Three children were killed when troops shelled a fuel station in the Arhab region, north of the capital Sana'a. Around a dozen people were injured in the attack.

Villages declaring support for the anti-government uprising are frequently targeted by security crackdowns, as protesters demand an end to Saleh's 33-year rule.

In the city of Taiz in the south, a 16-year-old boy was killed late Saturday by sniper fire, the opposition Maareb press website reported.

According to government figures, at least 1,480 people were killed between the start of protests in February and the end of September.

A key delegation representing opposition groups is touring several Asian and Middle East countries in a bid to gather support against Saleh's government.