Two civilians in the Yemeni capital Sanaa were shot dead on Sunday by government snipers and up to 11 others, including two children were wounded, medics and witnesses said.

The violence came two days after the UN Security Council urged the Yemeni government to stop using violence against civilians and called on Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to leave power.

"A 40-year-old woman Nathera al-Absi and another blind old man were killed by sniper's gunshots in their heads," one of the medics at the square's field hospital told Xinhua.

"Two kids were wounded while crossing Kintaki intersection en- route to school, and nine protesters were severely wounded by gunshots when government troops fired at the southern part of a march demanding the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Qaa quarter," he added.

The witnesses said the government snipers were hiding on rooftops of buildings near protesters' Change Square.

"The government forces fired at the southern part of the march in a street of Qaa quarter, injuring at least nine protesters who were then taken to the field hospital," a leading protester named Radwanal-Azaki told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, clashes between Saleh's forces and rebel fighters of opposition tribal leader Sadiq al-Ahmar took place in Hassaba near the headquarters of the Interior Ministry in downtown Sanaa on Sunday, witnesses said.

The Yemeni government, who confronted nine-month-long protests demanding an end to his 33-year rule, said late Saturday it will deal "positively" with the U.N. Security Council's resolution.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet