SANAA, Yemen, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- At least one person died and several others were injured Thursday when government security forces shot at protesters in Sanaa, Yemen, medical personnel said.
Witnesses said a sniper killed a protester near the entrance of Change Square, a hub for months of demonstrations against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, CNN said.
Medical personnel on the scene said nine other protesters were shot by pro-Saleh forces in other parts of the square, and three were in critical condition.
CNN said government officials did not immediately respond a request for comment.
Yemen has been racked by violence for months by demonstrations against Saleh, recovering in Saudi Arabia from injuries he sustained during an attack on his residence.
A regional envoy's effort at negotiating a peaceful strategy for Saleh to step aside ended Wednesday without securing approval by the ruling General People Congress Party for a Gulf Cooperation Council's proposal to transfer power.
The Joint Meeting Parties, an umbrella opposition group, refused to officially meet GCC Secretary-General Abdul Latif al-Zayyani, saying the next move was up to the government, since the JMP signed the proposal.
"We did everything asked from us and any dialogue will only stall more time for this oppressive regime," JMP spokesman Mohammed Qahtan said. "The GCC is not being fair when dealing with the Yemen crisis. It needs to tell the wrongdoer that he is wrong and save the country from further deaths and catastrophes."
