ADEN, Yemen, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Armed clashes broke out Friday evening between Yemeni security forces and pro-separatism gunmen who oppose the presidential election in the southern port city of Aden, leaving at least four civilians injured, a witness told Xinhua.
The security forces clashed with armed men believed to be linked to the pro-secession Southern Movement in the Dar Saad district in Aden, following a shooting at the headquarters of a local polling station, leaving four bystanders injured, the witness said on condition of anonymity.
"Random shooting between the two sides injured four people and some of them were in critical condition," he said.
Meanwhile, a security official told Xinhua that many armored vehicles and army reinforcements were deployed around the polling stations across the city.
Police forces also arrested several wanted suspects of the Southern Movement accused of "sabotage acts" in the city, according to the official.
Leaders of the Southern Movement said they would boycott the early presidential election scheduled on Feb. 21 by preventing voters from casting their ballots.
The northern and southern parts of Yemen were unified in 1990 according to a deal between Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's ruling General People's Congress party and the Yemeni Socialist Party. However, the deal fell apart, leading to a crisis between the two sides, which developed into a civil war in 1994.
Separatists who want to end the north-south union are demanding independence in response to the alleged discrimination by the northern people and a lack of financial aid.
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