Yemenis fled the capital on Wednesday to escape gunbattles between loyalists and opponents of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who said he would make no more concessions to those seeking his ouster. Sporadic machinegun fire rang out for the third day in the sandbagged streets around the mansion of an influential tribal leader who has backed protesters seeking to overthrow the long-time ruler after repeated international mediation failed.
Black smoke rose from the compound of Sadiq al-Ahmar, at the centre of the clashes that have killed at least 39 people since Monday, when his guards first exchanged fire with loyalist forces they accused of stockpiling weapons at a nearby school.
The fighting, the most sustained clashes in Sanaa since protests against Saleh's rule began in February, erupted on Monday, a day after the president refused at the last minute to sign a Gulf-brokered deal that would ease him out of power.