SANA'A // At least 41 people were killed and dozens more wounded in shelling and street battles yesterday between forces loyal to Yemen's president Ali Abdullah Saleh and fighters supporting an opposition tribal leader.
Heavy gunfire and explosions rattled Hassaba district, north of the capital, where the sides have been battling since May 23.
The reported casualties included fighters supporting Sheikh Sadeq al Ahmar, leader of the Hashid, Yemen's most influential tribal confederation.
During the battles, tribal fighters took over government buildings, including nine ministries.
A huge explosion occurred at the water authority building in the north-west part of Hassaba on Tuesday evening, causing a huge fire. Columns of smoke continued to billow yesterday afternoon.
Armed tribesmen were seen inside the building of the Shura Council, a lower chamber of legislation, which is next to the water authority. The tribal fighters also took over the office building of the attorney general in the Mathbah neighbourhood.
Government officials accused the tribesmen of looting the building. Sources at Sheikh al Ahmar's office denied that and said they controlled the building after discovering that government security forces had used it to store weapons.
According to security sources, Republican Guard units, led by one of Mr Saleh's sons, engaged the tribal fighters yesterday morning and on Tuesday evening in an attempt to recapture the ministry of local administration and Hassaba police buildings.
Witnesses said that on Tuesday night the Republican Guard had shelled the headquarters of an army brigade responsible for guarding sensitive government institutions. Army officers who defected to the opposition said the government suspected that the brigade commander was about to join forces with the movement that is working to remove Mr Saleh from power.
On Tuesday, the government cut the water supply and electricity to the Hassaba neighbourhood, residents said.
Mahmud Rashid, a resident in Hassaba, said: "There is no water and food. All shops have been closed. I have to walk for a long distance to get foodstuff, mainly bread. Electricity has been off for two days. This is a collective punishment."
Also yesterday, the city of Taiz remained in lockdown as thousands of security force members and Republican Guard troops patrolled the streets to disperse protesters, witnesses said.
On Monday, government forces and plainclothes gunmen had cleared protesters from the square they had occupied since February.
The United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights said it had received reports that as many as 50 people died. About 13 handicapped protesters were killed after hundreds of tents were set on fire. Dozens of protesters were missing.
Navi Pillay, the United Nations Human Rights chief, called the government's use of force against protesters "reprehensible" and urged the government to make sure the human rights of its citizens were protected. She also criticised security forces for occupying a hospital in Taiz and destroying the field clinic. Ms Pillay said medical staff and facilities should never be targeted by government forces.
According to local sources, government forces yesterday banned thousands of people from entering Taiz to protest, as army forces backed by tanks and armoured vehicles sealed off the entrances to the city. Hundreds of protesters have been trying since Monday to regroup and recapture the protest camp controlled by the security and army forces.
On Tuesday evening, security forces in women's clothes sneaked into a protest for hundreds of women and attacked them, tearing their veils and scarves, said Bushra al Maktari, a protest organiser. She said the attackers had harassed the women and threatened to rape them.
She also said that security forces yesterday stormed and looted the Taiz residence of Sultan al Samee, an opposition leader and MP.
* With additional reporting by Associated Press