Regime forces shell northern Yemen

Several villages in the province were fiercely attacked on Saturday night.

Yemen’s Republican Guards are led by outgoing ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh’s son, Ahmed.

Many Yemeni civilians have been killed over the past few weeks by regime troops in areas controlled by Yemeni opposition forces.

Saleh himself has been in the United States since late January.

Washington says he entered the country for medical treatment.

It has also been announced that Saleh will not return to Yemen until after the country’s February 21 presidential election.

Yemen’s popular uprising began in January 2011.