Violence threatened a return to chaos in Yemen today with at least six people killed after a day of jubilation over the departure of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

A Yemeni rights activist says a brigade of the powerful Republican Guard run by the son of embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh has defected to the opposition in a southern province.

A temporary ceasefire was agreed in Yemen today to allow for negotiations after five days of fierce clashes that killed at least 124 people.

Fighting that rocked Sanaa for the past five days spread beyond the capital today as Yemeni tribesmen opposed to the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh seized a Republican Guard military camp.