At least 26 civilian protesters were killed Sunday and 21 more Monday, according to local medical officials, after Yemeni military forces opened fire on demonstrators in the capital city of Sanaa.
The protests turned violent overnight amid reports of sniper fire, as protesters seized a bridge and burned buildings where snipers were believed to be hiding. The troops on the ground then turned anti-aircraft guns on them, sparking a panic.
The attacks were among the deadliest violence against civilian protesters in months, and comes at a time when dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh is reported on the verge handing over power to his deputy, Major General Hadi.
With Saleh in Saudi Arabia and Hadi the apparent dictator-to-be, the question then becomes if these escalated attacks on the ubiquitous Sanaa protesters are a sign of things to come and an attempt by Hadi to show he can reconquer the country through sheer military force.
