SANAA: Security forces backed by army units opened fire Sunday on protesters demanding the ouster of Yemen’s longtime president, killing three, an opposition activist said.
In all, tens of thousands of protesters mobilized in several cities and towns, according to activists – the latest installment of daily protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh that have been staged for almost three months.
One protester was killed in the western port of Hodeida, and two were killed in the southern city of Taiz when elite Republican Guard forces tried to disperse protesters by firing in the air, according to activist Nouh al-Wafi.

In all, more than 140 people reportedly have been killed in the government crackdown on the protesters.
Bushra al-Maktari, an activist in Taiz, said youthful protesters had taken over a main street in that city, setting up tents and expanding a sit-in which started on Feb. 11.
In the southern city of Aden, thousands marched against Saleh and demanded the release of protesters who have been detained.

Earlier, Yemen’s main opposition warned that a Gulf-led transition plan could end unless the president agreed to it within 48 hours.
The Common Forum, an alliance of parliamentary opposition groups, repeated its support for the plan to end three months of political unrest but insisted Saleh also commit himself.
“We renew our commitment to the Gulf plan but the other party [the president] must also demonstrate its seriousness within the next two days,” the Common Forum said.
“Any further delay or procrastination on the part of the president to sign the agreement will force us to back the ‘choice of the people,’ opposing the plan,” it said.

It accused the Sanaa government of political maneuvers to delay committing to the Gulf Cooperation Council-initiated plan and asked GCC member states to put a halt to official delegations sent by Saleh’s regime.
The warning came as a Yemeni delegation led by Prime Minister Ali Mohammad Mujawar Sunday began a tour of all six GCC states, except Qatar, according to official news agency Saba.