From Mohammed Jamjoom, CNN
Yemeni anti-government protesters clash with security forces in Taiz, south of Sanaa, on Thursday, March 17.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- NEW: Interior Ministry official says casualties happened on both sides
- Supporters and opponents of the government threw rocks at each other, witnesses said
- Security forces opened fire and also used tear gas, they said
(CNN) — At least 33 people were killed and more than 100 hurt Friday in clashes between tens of thousands of anti-government protesters and security forces outside Sanaa University in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, medical officials on the scene said.
An Interior Ministry official said the casualties came from both sides. The official who could not be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
Witnesses said the clashes began after government supporters and anti-government demonstrators threw rocks at each other. Security forces shot into the air and then into the crowd; they also fired tear gas to try to disperse the crowd, witnesses said.
Yemen has been wracked by weeks of unrest, with thousands protesting the government of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
High unemployment has fueled much of the anger among a growing young population steeped in poverty. The protesters also cite government corruption and a lack of political freedom.
The president has said he will not run for another term in the next round of elections. He also has pledged to bring a new constitution to a vote by the end of the year and transfer government power to an elected parliamentary system.
Journalist Hakim Almasmari contributed to this report
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