960406

30 killed in Yemen tribal fighting

ADEN: At least 30 people have been killed and s cores injured in tribal clashes in an area south of the Yemeni capital San'a, travelers said on Friday.

They said the clashes erupted last week when members of the two tribes - Al--Atma and Maghreb Ans - traded accusations that they were stealing cars from each other.

The travelers said the government has opted not to intervene in the fighting but set up roadblocks on roads leading to San'a to prevent the clashes from spilling over into the city.

Yemen, an impoverished country of 17 million people in the south of the Arabian Peninsula, remains largely tribal with the illegal possession of arms widely spread.

Repeated government campaigns to disarm civilians have made little headway in a country where it is not uncommon for boys as young as 15 to be seen in the streets of the capital carrying AK-47 assault rifles.-AP