Rival Yemeni forces clashed in the capital Sana'a today, killing two people, as the opposition awaited clarification from Gulf Arab mediators on the time frame for a proposed transfer of the president's powers.
Three people were killed in violence elsewhere in Yemen, including two shot dead in the southern city of Aden when security forces tried to break up a march demanding an end to President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 32-year rule, witnesses said.
Gulf Arab foreign ministers have said they will invite Mr Saleh and his opponents to mediation talks on a transfer of power in Yemen to end a standoff after two months of street protests.
The opposition initially rejected the plan, but met ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman yesterday to seek clarification of the proposal.
Opposition sources said they expected an answer from the Gulf today on the time frame and details of the plan, and could respond immediately. An opposition source said talks could start as early as Saturday in Riyadh.
In Sana'a, tension remained high near the encampment of a powerful defected army general, Ali Mohsen, whose forces are protecting thousands of anti-Saleh protesters in their tent camp near Sana'a University.
"Central security forces clashed with the forces of the first armoured division, and two troops were killed outright while four more are in a critical condition," a military source said. One of the dead was from Mohsen's forces, the other from the government side.
A source close to Gen Mohsen's forces said pro-Saleh security forces had fired rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles at Gen Mohsen's troops who had set up a checkpoint on a road leading to the protest zone.
The general's forces returned fire and battled the government forces for an hour before Mr Saleh's forces retreated, leaving the checkpoint intact, the source close to Gen Mohsen said.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators turned out in the capital after the clashes despite driving rain, saying they remained committed to the president's removal.
Reuters