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Five injured in Yemen’s street protests

Five anti-government protesters have been injured in fresh clashes with security forces in Yemen’s southern province of Shabwa.

Dozens of people, among them prominent opposition figures, have also been arrested, a local councilman told Xinhua on Wednesday on condition of anonymity.

The clashes erupted when soldiers tried to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who, inspired by the Tunisia-style revolution, had gathered in downtown Atak, the provincial capital of Shabwa.

“A large number of army forces have blocked the main roads of Atak after the local branches of the opposition coalition called Tuesday for organizing a protest on Wednesday,” the councilman said.

The protesters chanted slogans against the government’s political and economic policies and called for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down.

Fearing violent clashes, several security soldiers were reinforced Wednesday around government facilities, a provincial security official said.

Anti-government demonstrations have been ongoing for the past nine days following the revolution in Tunisia which ended more than two decades of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, sending shockwaves across Arab and North African nations.

Meanwhile, dozens of anti-government protesters, including students, gathered outside Sana’a University on Wednesday, carrying banners and shouting slogans demanding the long-serving president to step down and leave the country.

Saleh ruled Yemen with an iron-fist for 32 years. He recently announced on state TV that he will stand down after his second presidential term expires in 2013.

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