Government troops continue shelling residential areas in Yemen

Yemeni government troops have shelled residential areas in the restive southern city of Taiz for a fourth straight day, killing three people on Friday, residents said.

The witnesses said the latest shelling came from army tanks positioned on mountains and hills around Taiz, Yemen's second-largest city and a hotbed of opposition to long-time President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The city has been regularly shelled by the military responding to hit-and-run attacks by armed tribesmen, and the latest bout has been going on since Tuesday.

The relentless barrage has forced scores to flee Taiz to the countryside, the residents said.

On Thursday, clashes between the army and tribesmen in Taiz left 13 dead, according to the defence ministry and a security official.

Saleh has signed a US-backed deal to step down but fighting is still raging, with near-daily protests against his rule.

He has been the target of months of protests in a nationwide uprising inspired by other Arab Spring revolts, and some units of his military have switched sides and joined protesters demanding his removal,

Despite backing out on several occasions, Saleh finally signed the power transfer deal, brokered by neighbouring countries, last week in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, to resolve Yemen's crisis. It transfers power to his vice president and grants him immunity from prosecution.

However, hundreds of thousands of protesters filled city centres today in the capital Sanaa, Taiz and other cities, demanding Saleh be prosecuted for the killings during Yemen's uprising.