Saleh calls in troops to crush people

Yemen’s embattled ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh has called in army reinforcements from across the country to the capital city of Sana’a in an attempt to crush anti-regime fighters, Press TV reports.

Two large cargo ships reportedly dropped off heavy weapons and military equipment in the southern port of Hudaydah on Monday. The weapons were then transported to Sana’a.

According to eyewitnesses, tanks have made their way toward the capital’s Hassaba district, where clashes took place between forces loyal to Saleh and revolutionaries.

The surge in military reinforcements dispatched to Sana’a is believed to be Saleh’s preparation for an all-out attack on his opponents.

Fighting broke out Saturday between a dissident army unit, joined by allied tribal fighters, and Saleh loyalists in the Hassaba neighborhood of Sana’a, leaving 20 people dead.

Hundreds of thousands of people have turned out for regular demonstrations in Yemen’s major cities since January, calling for an end to corruption and unemployment and demanding Saleh’s ouster.

Protesters also insist that Saleh should be tried for the crimes he has committed against the people of Yemen.

They also say Saleh should be tried for the brutal crackdown on popular demonstrations, which has left hundreds of peaceful protesters dead and many more injured.