Leading officials defect, join Yemen protesters
The support for protesters in Yemen is growing as more and more military and political officials join the revolution there. In Syria anti-government protests are also gathering pace.
In a blow to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's authority, a number of leading diplomats and high-ranking military officials on Monday broke ranks with the regime and said they were joining the protesters and their cause.
The country's ambassador to Syria Abdel Wahab al-Tawaf announced his resignation in protest at the violent government crackdown in the wake of similar defections last week.
One of Yemen's most senior military officials, General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, also pledged to support the protesters along with dozens of other officers.
President sacks ministers
In the face of increasing pressure on him to step down President Saleh on Sunday sacked his cabinet.
Earlier that day, tens of thousands of people gathered for a "national day of mourning" for 52 people who were gunned down during protests on Friday against Saleh.
The shooting on Friday by gunmen on rooftops above a square where protesters had gathered sparked the resignation of three Yemeni ministers who said the attack was carried out by government forces.
One of Yemen's largest tribal groups, Hashed, issued a statement Sunday calling on Saleh to heed the wishes of the people and step down. Saleh said he will stay in power until his current term ends in 2013.
Syria's ongoing violence
Meanwhile there were reports of further anti-government protests in Syria Monday as the unrest continued to spread south. Activists said thousands of people took to the streets in Daraa after the funeral of a protester who was reportedly killed on Sunday.
This came after four people were killed Friday when security forces opened fire on civilians taking part in a peaceful protest in Daraa. The protesters were demanding the release of 15 children, all under the age of 16, who had been arrested for writing pro-democracy slogans after being inspired by revolts in Tunisia and Egypt.
Calling for an inquiry into the deaths, eight human rights groups slammed "the violent and unjustified behavior of the security authorities who used excessive force to disperse a peaceful demonstration in Daraa."
"This policy, pursued by the authorities to disperse several other demonstrations in Damascus, Homs and Banias, reflects their severity towards the peaceful civil-society movement," the groups said in a joint statement. "It also goes against the right to assembly guaranteed by the Syrian constitution and the government's commitments on human rights."
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