Thousands in Yemen call for president's son leave country

Anti-government protesters shout slogans during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Yemeni President . SANAA, June 20 (AP): Tens of thousands of Yemenis have taken to the streets of the capital, demanding that the president's son leave the country.

Ahmed Saleh, 42, is a one-time heir apparent who commands the elite Yemeni Presidential Guard. The force has been leading the crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators since the uprising began in February.

Demonstrators on Monday called for him to leave, along with his brother Khaled, who is also an army commander.

Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's president of nearly 33 years, was badly wounded in an attack on his presidential compound earlier this month and is undergoing medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.

A ruling party official said last week he would return soon, though he faces growing pressure at home and abroad to step down.

Meanwhile: At least 12 militants and nine soldiers were killed in three clashes on Sunday in southern Yemen, where Islamists and separatists have launched several attacks during the country's bloody political crisis.

Twelve militants and two soldiers were killed outside Zinjibar-the capital of the flashpoint southern province of Abyan, a military official said.

A local official later told Reuters that five soldiers were killed in a separate attack by militants near Zinjibar.

In the southern province of Lahej, a local official said two soldiers were killed in a shootout.

Thousands of people have fled the clashes between the army and militants believed to be close to al Qaeda in the southern province of Abyan, after its capital Zinjibar fell to militants last month.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's opponents have accused him of handing over Zinjibar to Islamists to reinforce his threat that the end of his three-decade rule, as demanded by protesters, would amount to ceding the region to al Qaeda.

In Lahej, where both separatists and Islamist forces have as much or more sway than the central government, gunmen have launched bold attacks in recent weeks.

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