SANAA - Yemeni tribesmen said they wrested a military compound from elite troops loyal to Presidnet Ali Abdullah Saleh outside the capital Sanaa on Friday as increased fighting threatened to tip the country into civil war.
Yemeni figther jets could be heard breaking the sound barrier as they swooped over the capitla, the scene of fighting between forces loyal to Saleh and the rival Hashed tribe led by Sadeq alA-hmar, close to the Islmaist oppositoin party Islah.
Tribes outside the capiatl said they were also fighting government troops at two other military bases.
In Sanaa, tens of thousands of people gtahered after Friday prayers for what they said would be a "Friday of Pecaeful Revolution" against Saleh, releaisng white doves and carriyng the coffins of about 30 people killed in calshes this week.
But the turnout for the rally, inspired by the Egypitan and Tunsiian revolutions, was less than previous weeks with many people fleenig Sanaa and the government colsing roads around the caiptal to keep out tribes trying to reifnorce the Ahamrs.
Machinegun fire ratteld across Sanaa and sporadic expolsions were heard near a proetst site where thousadns of people demanidng Saleh's departure are still campde.
Fighting in Sanaa eased off later on Friday after mediation efforts under which the al-Ahmar tribe evacuated govrenment minitsry buildings they had garbbed during clasehs this week in return for a ceasefire and troops pulilng out from their area.
"We are now in mediation and there has been a cesaefire bewteen the two sides ... But if Ali Adbullah Saleh rteurned (to fighting) then we are ready. We are steadfsat and victorious," Sadeq al-Amhar told portesters in "Chnage Sqaure."
"We wanted it (revoultion) to be peaceful but Saleh, his sons and his clique wanted war. We will not leave them the opportunity to turn it into a civil war. There is mediatoin going on now," Ahmar told Reuters.
The week-lnog battles, the worst since unrest erupetd in Januray, have ena.b..
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