Death toll over 100 in Yemeni weapons factory explosion

Death toll over 100 in Yemeni weapons factory explosion

2011-03-29 07:28:42 GMT+7 (ICT)

SANAA, YEMEN (BNO NEWS) --The death toll has risen to over 100 following the explosion at a Yemeni weapons factory on Monday that also injured at least 52 people in the southern region of the country, local media reported.

Medical and security officials told the Yemen post that 124 people had died during the explosion, but the death toll is expected to rise. Most of the victims were local residents looting ammunition after militants on Sunday took over the factory in the city of Jaar in Yemen's Abyan Province.

The origin of the explosion is still unclear as some local reports said youths rummaging the factory set off a series of explosions, while others said a lit cigarette triggered the blast.

Yemen has been facing months of protests and demonstrations, but President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has vowed to not step down, delivered a televised speech on Sunday to state his government stood strong. Following the speech, clashes between security forces and protesters worsened.

President Saleh, who has ruled the country for 32 years, has pledged not to seek his reelection in 2013 or hand over power to his son.

Last week, Saleh said the nation had been in a crisis for more than two years and blamed the unrest on a foreign agenda. He said some hostile media outlets exaggerated about the situation in Yemen and played a major role in influencing people and security officers to hurt Yemen's stability.

Furthermore, he fired his government and then designated it as caretaker until a new government is formed. Protesters' death toll has almost reached 100 since demonstrations began.

Yemeni protesters have been demanding the resignation of Saleh for the past two months. The demonstrations were initially inspired by the Tunisian revolt, but they gathered momentum with the success of Egypt's revolution.

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