Yemeni lawmaker stabbed in latest unrest

SANAA, Yemen, March 14 (UPI) -- Armed men attacked a convoy that included the Yemeni governor in Marib province, stabbing him in the neck as political violence escalates, witnesses said.

Yemen has endured several weeks of protests despite modest concessions from the country's president. Riot police during the weekend used tear gas, live ammunition and water cannons to control weekend demonstrations in the nation's capital.

At least 30 people were injured by gunfire, reports Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

The governor of Marib province was stabbed in the neck during the weekend after fighters stormed his convoy, witnesses told the BBC.

Yemeni President Abdullah Ali Saleh has tried to reach out to members of the opposition, who refused his offer for a unity government and continued to call for his resignation. Saleh said he wouldn't seek another term in 2013.

The U.S. State Department in a weekend statement said Washington was "deeply concerned" about the reports of violence in Yemen. The State Department said peaceful dialogue was the best way to find a solution to the crisis in the country.

"We reiterate our call for a commitment by all sides to participate in an open and transparent process that addresses the legitimate concerns of all Yemeni people and provides an orderly path to a nation that is more responsive to the political and economic aspirations of the people," the statement read.