Yemen Protests: Four dead, hundreds injured

Of the four dead, two died in Sanaa, one in the port city of Aden as police opened fire to disperse civilians and the last a boy of 12 who died in the southern city of Mukalla.

Dozens of demonstrators were overcome by the teargas, with friends using torn pieces of cardboard to fan them as they lay stretched out on the ground, many of them barely conscious.

“The gas used by the police is strange. It causes cramps and a collapse of the nervous system,” said Bashir Al-Kahli, a doctor helping the injured.

The Interior Ministry has denied using any sort of nerve gas.

A wave of protests, inspired by the revolts in Egypt and Tunisia, has weakened Saleh’s grip on Yemen, but he has steadfastly refused calls for his resignation and the police response to the crisis has become increasingly tough.

Protesters complain of government corruption and soaring rates of unemployment and say change is needed in order to resolve matters thoroughly.