Diplomats flee battles in Yemeni capital

SANAA, Yemen, June 1 (UPI) -- Foreign diplomats began fleeing Yemen Wednesday as fighting raged between forces loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh and tribal foes, officials said.

Kuwait's KUNA news agency said its diplomats were recalled. Italy temporarily closed its embassy and pulled out its staff Tuesday, and all American civilians have been advised to leave, The New York Times reported.

A medic told Gulfnews.com 37 people -- most of them combatants -- were killed in clashes between opposition tribesmen and security forces in Sanaa, the capital. The Web site said seven protesters were shot by government forces in the southern city of Taiz.

Saleh's forces at the state TV headquarters shelled the tribal militia of Sheik Hamid al-Ahmar, who claimed to have taken over many government buildings. Estimates ranged as high as 41 killed on both sides.

Many protesters who have been holding a peaceful vigil for months have left to join the fight.

"For me and many others like me here in the square, we are convinced that peaceful means would not work since they did not work over the last four months," teacher Ahmed Obadi told the Times.

"Saleh does not want peace. Saleh thrives with blood being spilt. They attacked us and we had to defend," al-Ahmar's spokesman, Abdul Qawi al-Qaisi, told The National newspaper of Abu Dhabi.

Navi Pillay, the United Nations' human rights chief, told The National she had received reports that more than 50 people had been killed by government forces since Sunday. Opposition groups place the number of deaths much higher, the newspaper said.