Tribes Join Yemen Fighting as 38 Die

Fighters from Yemen’s most powerful tribes laid siege to government buildings on Tuesday that left at least 38 dead, as soldiers responded with intense artillery shelling. Medical officials said 24 tribesmen were killed in the fiercest fighting on Sana’s streets in years. Government officials said 14 soldiers were killed and 20 were missing as the situation deteriorated following the collapse of an Arab mediation effort to get President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down. The latest development in the rebellion against Saleh threatened to become a militia-led revolt. The Interior Ministry blamed the bloodshed on Sheik Sadeq Al-Ahmar, the head of Yemen’s largest tribe, called the Hashid. Saleh earlier this week snubbed attempts by Arab neighbors to negotiate his exit.