Official Saba news agency quoted President Saleh's remarks in a press conference as saying that "Friday's events aimed to foil mediation efforts by some Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, to conciliate Yemeni rival political forces."

Saleh ordered the security authorities to impose a curfew only on people who carry arms and ordered authorities to confiscate their weapons. Sources at the interior Ministry said a comprehensive curfew is being discussed.

Meanwhile, the Interior Minister Mutahar Rashad al-Masri in a press conference denied that police were behind the shooting, saying that residents near the sit-in exchanged fire with the protesters.

Hassan Lukman, a protest organizer told Xinhua that four more protesters died from gunshot wounds later Friday, including Yemeni journalist Jamal al-Sharabi who was at the scene to cover the news, raising the death toll to 45.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and U.S. President Barak Obama on Friday condemned the use of live ammunition by Yemen security forces against demonstrators in Sanaa and issued calls for "utmost restraint."