Reports suggest six protesters have been killed in clashes in and around Taiz.<br /><br /> Days earlier, key sites in Yemen’s third-largest city fell to Shia Houthi rebels.<br /><br /> Yemen has now asked the United Nations to back military action to battle the Shi’ite militia advance.<br /><br /> There are fears Yemen is heading for civil war. In a letter to the UN, Yemen’s official president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi has reportedly asked for the help of ‘willing countries’ to ‘deter the Houthi agression.’<br /><br /> Thousands have taken to the streets to demonstrate in the southwestern province – also called Taiz – in an attempt to defend their towns.<br /><br /> Militants fired bullets and teargas to disperse the demonstrators.<br /><br /> The Houthi rebels seized the capital Sana’a in September and are said to be closing in on Aden, where the President Hadi is based.
