DHAKA: Thousands of armed Shia rebels in Yemen strengthened their positions in the capital Sanaa on Wednesday as they pressed their campaign to force the government to resign.

Media correspondents witnessed, reports The Straits Times.

Activists, known as Huthis or Ansarullah, used cranes to build walls around camped settlements across the city, where protest leaders have given the government a deadline of Friday to meet their demands.

In a bid to stem the crisis, president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi on Wednesday called for dialogue with rebels and invited representatives to join a ‘unity government’.

But the protests, fuelled by a steep increase in petrol prices, are increasing in momentum with demonstrators showing no signs of backing down.

BDST: 2124 HRS, AUG 20, 2014