Middle East and North Africa in turmoil

Feb. 19, 2011

Algerian police thwart a rally of pro-democracy supporters, breaking up the crowd to keep them from marching. Police brandishing clubs, but no firearms, weave their way through the crowd in central Algiers, banging their shields, tackling some protesters and keeping traffic flowing.

Feb. 12, 2011

Heavily outnumbered by riot police, thousands of Algerians defy government warnings and dodge barricades to rally in their capital, demanding democratic reforms a day after mass protests toppled Egypt's autocratic ruler. Protesters chant "No to the police state!" and "Give us back our Algeria."

Though no violence is reported, more than 400 protesters are briefly detained. Officials place the turnout at 1,500, but an estimated 10,000 actually participate in the demonstration before it is broken up. Food riots took place throughout the country in early January. Bank employers and hospital workers have led strikes demanding better pay and benefits. A group called "The Coordination for Democratic Change in Algeria" has organized another protest for Feb. 19.

March 6, 2011

Thousands of Shiite opposition supporters block the entrance to the Bahraini prime minister's office but fail to disrupt a government meeting as the campaign for reform in the strategic Gulf nation enters its third week. The protesters demand that the prime minister step down because of corruption and a deadly crackdown on the opposition in which seven people were killed.

Feb. 28, 2011

Hundreds of anti-government protesters block access to Bahrain's parliament and force officials to cancel a meeting of the ruler's hand-picked envoys. The demonstration appears part of a strategy to hold rallies at sensitive locations in the capital Manama. The idea is to boost pressure on the monarchy following two weeks of marches and clashes that have left seven dead.

Feb. 24, 2011

A government spokeswoman says a prominent opposition leader will not be arrested if he returns to Bahrain, but it remains unclear whether he is free to travel. The possible return of Hassan Meshaima after months of voluntary exile in London could mark a new phase for the protest movement as the Gulf island's monarchy tries to open talks to end the most severe political crisis in decades in the nation.

Feb. 22, 2011

Tens of thousands of Shiite-led protesters fill the central district of Bahrain's capital in the largest demonstration since the campaign against the government began eight days ago. King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa also orders the release of some political prisoners in a concession to the opposition, but it is unclear how many will actually be released.

Feb. 19, 2011

Anti-government protesters stream back into Bahrain's Pearl Square roundabout Saturday to continue their push for political reforms after tanks and armored personnel carriers rumble out of the capital following an order by the crown prince for the military to withdraw.

Feb. 18, 2011

Thousands of pro-government marchers rally in Manama on Friday in support of Bahrain's king, a day after authorities cracked down on protesters and imposed a state of emergency.

Elsewhere around the Bahraini capital, armored personnel carriers remain parked on a bridge above Pearl Square, where riot police violently displaced mostly Shiite anti-government demonstrators the day before.

Feb. 17, 2011

Swelling anti-government protests in Manama are broken up in a predawn raid by police who use tear gas, clubs and rubber bullets to clear the crowd. At least two people are killed, and protesters say others are critically injured. There is no official word on casualties from Bahrain's authorities.

Hours later, tanks rumble into Manama as Apache helicopters fly overhead. Military vehicles and police block roads, and some areas are cordoned off with barbed wire. The Bahraini national security council meets and declares a state of emergency.

Feb. 14, 2011

Demonstrators face rubber bullets and birdshot to demand more freedoms in the relative wealth of Bahrain. At least 25 people are injured, and one man dies after suffering severe head trauma. Police later use vans and other vehicles to block main roads into the capital of Manama to prevent a mass gathering that organizers intend as an homage to Egypt's Tahrir Square.

The date of the protests is the anniversary of Bahrain's 2002 constitution, which brought an elected parliament and other pro-democracy reforms to the country. Bahrain is the home of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which plays a major role in obstructing Iran's attempts to expand its influence in the region.

March 8, 2011

Clashes break out when a Muslim mob attacks thousands of Christians protesting against the burning of a Cairo church. At least 13 people are killed and about 140 wounded, security and hospital officials say. The Muslims torch the church amid an escalation of tensions between the two religious groups over a love affair between a Muslim and a Christian that set off a violent feud between the couple's families.

In Cairo, a mob of angry men beat and sexually assault women marchers calling for political and social equality on International Women's Day. The men - their number estimated to be at least double that of the women's - break through a human chain that other men had formed to protect the marchers. Women say they attempted to stand their ground - until the physical aggression began.

March 5, 2011

Hundreds of protesters storm the headquarters of Egypt's widely feared State Security Investigations agency in Cairo on Saturday and begin sifting through thousands of potentially inflammatory documents, marking another step toward dismantling the administration of ousted President Hosni Mubarak.

State Security was responsible for suppressing domestic political dissent, as well as for internal counterterrorism, and had a reputation for torturing detainees. The unearthed documents could provide information for cases against senior members of Mubarak's government, from the former president on down, and could prove explosive if publicized, analysts say.

Feb. 23, 2011

Former Egyptian police officers seeking to get their jobs back set fire to parts of Egypt's Interior Ministry in Cairo. The former officers set fire to vehicles and parts of the building, including the human resources offices, al Ahram newspaper reports on its Web site. The protesters seem to be reacting to a decision, announced last week, that police fired over the last year will be rehired as part of the democratization of Egypt.

Feb. 21, 2011

Egypt's top prosecutor asks the Foreign Ministry to seek help from foreign governments to seize ousted president Hosni Mubarak's assets, Egyptian state media reports. Public prosecutor Abdel Magid Mahmud says the request will also cover assets in the name of Mubarak's wife, Suzanne, his sons Alaa and Gamal, and their wives.

Feb. 18, 2011

Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians join nationwide demonstrations to mark the fall one week ago of President Hosni Mubarak and to press the country's military leadership to implement democratic reforms. The gatherings emphasize that the Feb. 11 ouster of Mubarak was only the start of reforms that demonstrators demanded during their 18-day revolution to end his 30-year, autocratic rule.

In the center of the square, memorials are set up for the more than 330 people killed during the revolution. Demonstrators chant, "The people demand the trial of the regime."

Feb. 11, 2011

After 18 days of anti-government demonstrations, Vice President Suleiman announces on television that Mubarak has officially resigned and assigned power to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

Feb. 10, 2011

In another speech, Mubarak refuses to relinquish the presidency despite reports by media outlets and CIA Director Leon Panetta that he would likely resign soon.

Feb. 7, 2011

Demonstrations continue despite new concessions by Mubarak's government, including pension and salary increases. Authorities release Wael Ghonim, an Egyptian executive of Google who had been detained after organizing protests.

Jan. 29, 2011

On state television, Mubarak announces he is removing his cabinet and appoints a vice president. Protesters in Tahrir Square defy the curfew, and prison breaks and looting are reported throughout the weekend.

Jan. 28, 2011

Clashes with police intensify, and deaths are reported. Overnight, the police are withdrawn and replaced with the military. The government institutes a curfew and blocks Internet access

Jan. 25, 2011

Inspired by the fall of Tunisia's longtime dictator, thousands flock to the streets in Cairo and other major Egyptian cities to denounce President Hosni Mubarak's rule.

March 1, 2011

Iranian security forces clash with demonstrators and shoot tear gas to break up a rally in support of two opposition leaders who have been targeted in a new crackdown on anti-government protests, an opposition Web site reports. Witnesses say large crowds marched along the main Enghelab (Revolution) Street, where large numbers of professional and voluntary security forces were stationed.

Feb. 20, 2011

Iranian security forces disperse anti-government protesters who tried to gather Sunday in Tehran's main squares to commemorate the deaths of two men killed during a protest Monday, witnesses report.

Official media deny reports of heavy security presence and minor skirmishes with opposition supporters, stressing that the city is completely calm. But witnesses describe large groups of protesters at several points in town and a large number of security forces out to meet them.

Feb. 14, 2011

Thousands of government supporters demand the execution of opposition leaders, but influential Muslim cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati says they should be placed under permanent house arrest. The calls come as Iran's opposition movement plans new anti-government demonstrations on Sunday.

Feb. 14, 2011

Crowds of demonstrators battle security forces armed with tear gas and batons during a surprisingly large anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran that draws inspiration from the recent popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. The gathering appears to be the most significant anti-government protest in the capital since security forces cracked down on a series of massive demonstrations in 2009.

Feb. 11, 2011

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking several hours before Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down, urges Egyptians to continue their protests and to "free" themselves and choose their own leaders and their own form of government. During a large state-sponsored rally to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of Iran's Islamic revolution, Ahmadinejad says that the uprisings in the Arab world have been inspired by his country's struggle against Western powers.

Feb. 27, 2011

In his latest attempt to appease a growing protest movement here, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says he is giving his cabinet 100 days to respond to demands for better government services from electricity to jobs and for an end to corruption. Maliki has already announced other concessions, saying he will slash his salary by half and not to seek a third term. He has accepted resignations from three provincial governors from his party so far.

Feb. 25, 2011

At least 19 people are killed in Iraq as tens of thousands defiy an official curfew and gathered for a "Day of Rage" demonstration, echoing protests that have been held across the Middle East and North Africa for more than a month. Despite pleas by the government and Shiite religious leaders for Iraqis to stay home, demonstrations are reported from Basra in the south to Mosul and Kirkuk in the north. Protesters denounce official corruption and called for the resignation of local leaders.

Feb. 24, 2011

At least five people are killed in Iraq as tens of thousands defiy an official curfew and gathered for a "Day of Rage" demonstration, echoing protests that have been held across the Middle East and North Africa for more than a month. Despite pleas by the government and Shiite religious leaders for Iraqis to stay home, demonstrations are reported from Basra in the south to Mosul and Kirkuk in the north. Protesters denounce official corruption and called for the resignation of local leaders.

Feb. 17, 2011

At least two protesters are killed when soldiers open fire on stone-throwing demonstrators in the Kurdish city of Sulaymaniyah as the unrest triggered by turmoil elsewhere in the Middle East reaches the normally placid enclave of Kurdistan in northern Iraq. Forty-three people weae injured when the Kurdish pesh merga fighters fire live ammunition at youths throwing stones at the headquarters of the region's dominant political party, the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), witnesses say.

Feb. 16, 2011

The governor of a remote southern Iraqi province is forced to flee when protesters storm his headquarters during violent demonstrations that illustrate the potential for upheaval in Iraq's new, and still shaky, democracy. The violence eruptes after local police opened fire on demonstrators protesting poor services and corruption outside the governorate of Wasit province in the city of Kut, killing three and wounding more than 50, says Capt. Mahdi Abbas of the province's emergency police force.

March 7, 2011

In the first protest of its kind here, journalists from state-controlled media demonstrate for press freedom and demand the ouster of the editor of the main government-controlled newspaper. Inspired by the anti-government uprisings sweeping the Arab world and mounting calls for change at home, about 200 journalists from official and independent media rally near the headquarters of Al-Rai, the main state-controlled paper.

Feb. 18, 2011

Clashes erupt Friday in the Jordanian capital, Amman, when about 300 protesters calling for political reforms are set upon by government supporters armed with metal rods and sticks as police stand by, participants said. At least eight people are reportedly injured.

It is the first time protesters have been attacked during demonstrations in Amman for political and economic change, which have been held for the past several Fridays.

Feb. 13, 2011

Senior U.S. officials hold talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II as part of an Obama administration diplomatic offensive in the wake of back-to-back popular uprisings in the Middle East. The White House dispatches Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen and the State Department's top career diplomat, Undersecretary for Political Affairs William J. Burns, to Jordan over the weekend in a show of support for the key U.S. ally.

Feb. 11, 2011

Hundreds of Jordanians take to the streets calling for the ouster of new Prime Minister Maroud al-Bakhit and demanding elections

Feb. 1, 2011

Jordan's Royal Palace says the king has sacked his government in the wake of street protests and has asked an ex-army general to form a new Cabinet.

Jan. 28, 2011

Thousands protest in late January, peaking on Jan. 28. The demonstrations are inspired by the unrest in the region and reflect growing discontent stoked by the most serious domestic economic crisis in years as well as accusations of rampant government corruption. Demonstrators protest rising prices and demand the dismissal of Prime Minister Samir Rifai and his government, but do not directly challenged the king, criticism of whom is banned in Jordan.

March 8, 2011

Youth groups in Kuwait plan to hold demonstrations Tuesday calling for the resignation of the prime minister and for greater political freedoms, Al Jazeera reports. Two groups called the al-Soor al-Khames (Fifth Fence) and Kafi rally followers on Twitter to take to the streets on Tuesday as parliament holds its first session in six weeks.

Feb. 20, 2011

Kuwait's parliament speaker appeals for an end to three days of protests by the descendants of desert nomads demanding citizenship and the generous state benefits that go with it. Police fire tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, who hold no nationality but have settled in Kuwait for generations. They seek access to Kuwaiti benefits such as free health care and state jobs.

Feb. 18, 2011

Kuwaiti authorities use tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons to break up a demonstration by about 1,000 stateless residents west of Kuwait City, according to Bloomberg. The proetesters were demanding greater rights for residents who are not citizens of the country.

Feb. 6, 2011

Kuwait's Interior Minister steps down amid calls for street demonstrations on social media sites. The organizers list claims of corruption and perceived attempts to limit political freedoms. After the resignation of the interior minister, Sheik Jaber al-Khaled al-Sabah (who is replaced by a relative of Kuwait's ruler), protesters reschedule planned demonstrations to March 8.

Feb. 28, 2011

In Lebanon, which has no government to rebel against because of disputes among the country's feuding political factions, demonstrators take to the streets to demand the overthrow of the sectarian system that has defined and divided the volatile country for seven decades.

March 10, 2011

Pro-government forces intensify their siege around the rebel-held town of Misurata, one resident says, cutting off the delivery of food and supplies, preventing farmers from going to their fields, and abducting people on the city's outskirts. War is also being waged on at least two other fronts, with rebel forces claiming on March 9 to have broken through a three-day standoff with government fighters in the town of Bin Jawwad but acknowledging another day of heavy casualties in Zawiyah.

March 9, 2011

Residents of Zawiyah, the city closest to Libya's capital, say the city remains under siege by pro-Gaddafi forces. "They are killing everybody who walks the street," one man says. Internet service and electricity have been cut. A U.N. special investigator says he has started a probe into allegations of torture used by Libyan ruler Moammar Gaddafi's forces, according to AP.

March 7, 2011

Fierce fighting between government and rebel forces continues as loyalists to Moammar Gaddafi renew assaults on several fronts to try and reclaim ground lost since the uprising began. The Libyan opposition says an offer--purportedly from Gaddafi--has been conveyed to council elders in the provisional capital of Benghazi.

According to an opposition spokesman, the Libyan leader would agree to step down if granted immunity from prosecution and safe passage out of the country. But opposition officials say they are still trying to establish the veracity of the offer, which came from Jadallah Azous al-Talhi, a former minister in Gaddafi's government.

March 6, 2011

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi escalate a lethal counterattack heightening assaults on rebels in two key western cities near his stronghold of Tripoli while launching airstrikes and engaging opposition bands marching from the east toward his hometown of Sirte in heavy ground clashes along the Mediterranean coast.

March 3, 2011

Forces loyal to Gaddafi launch renewed airstrikes against two key rebel-held towns, a day after poorly armed citizens repelled a major government assault on the area. At least three powerful air strikes hit Brega, the oil installation town. There is also a strike near an army munitions storage unit just outside of Ajdabiya, about 40 miles away. But there is no ground fighting.

March 2, 2011

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi move to recapture control of a key oil port in eastern Libya. It looks as if loyalist forces could reverse the tide of the opposition uprising. Gaddafi also gives a televised public rally in the capital, Tripoli, denying the existence of protests in Libya and saying the power was in the "hands of the people".

March 1, 2011

Libyan soldiers and paramilitaries loyal to Moammar Gaddafi attempt to retake territory that has been seized by rebels, but neither side appears to gain ground, according to accounts of the fighting from residents and officials with the opposition movement. In a six-hour battle, rebels armed with tanks, anti aircraft guns and automatic weapons repel an overnight attack by government troops using the same weapons in the town of Zawiya, 30 miles west of Tripoli, the Associated Press reports.

Feb. 27, 2011

Revolt spreads deeper into the west, with rock-wielding residents expanding control over key towns even as loyalist forces appear poised to counterattack or impose blockades. Gaddafi seeks to reinforce his position in Tripoli, the capital and his stronghold, by literally doling out cash to citizens and vowing huge raises for public workers, residents there say.

Feb. 25, 2011

Gunfire erupts in at least three neighborhoods of Tripoli Friday, as opponents of Moammar Gaddafi try to revive their protests against his regime in spite of a massive security clampdown. Hours earlier, Libyan state television announces that the government will distribute $400 to each family in a bid to head off fresh demonstrations called for by regime opponents after midday prayers.

Feb. 24, 2011

Moammar Gaddafi's son denies that Libya has killed large numbers of protesters through airstrikes and other attacks, while a former top Gaddafi aide says he quit the government to protest its violent crackdown. Libya appears dangerously fractured, with Gaddafi's regime intent on fighting but its authority beyond Tripoli in doubt. The longtime ruler is tightening his grip on the capital, witnesses say, by flooding the streets with militiamen and loyalist troops

Feb. 22, 2011

Libyan strongman Moammar Gaddafi appears on state television to prove he has not fled the country, as the opposition seems to seize control in some areas and soldiers and government officials resign in outrage over attacks on civilians. Later in the day, he makes another public address, defiantly rejecting opposition demands that he give up power, vowing that he would never leave the North African nation he has ruled for more than four decades and would die a "martyr."

The vicious crackdown against demonstrators appears to be fast eroding whatever support remains for Gaddafi, 68, who assumed power in a 1969 military coup.

Feb. 21, 2011

Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi's regime shows more signs of crumbling Monday following a volatile night in which dozens are reportedly killed in the capital and Gaddafi's son and heir-apparent declares in a televised speech that the North African nation could fall into anarchy if his father was ousted. There are also reports of senior Libyan officials resigning from their posts, outraged by the killings carried out by security forces.

Feb. 20, 2011

Continuing clashes between protesters and security forces lead to at least 200 deaths. In a travel warning, the State Department urges its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Libya.

McClatchy reports that Amnesty International urges Moammar Gaddafi to "immediately rein in his security forces amid reports of machine guns and other weapons being used against protesters."

Feb. 19, 2011

Moammar Gaddafi's forces fire on mourners leaving a funeral for protesters in the eastern city of Benghazi, killing at least 15 people and wounding scores more as the regime tries to squelch calls for an end to the ruler's 42-year grip on power. Libyan protesters are back on the street for the fifth straight day, as Gaddafi takes a hard line toward the dissent.

Feb. 17, 2011

Libyan protesters defy a crackdown and protest in four cities Thursday during a "day of rage." At least 20 demonstrators are killed in clashes with pro-government groups, according to reports. New York-based Human Rights Watch says Libyan internal security forces also have arrested at least 14 people. Hundreds of pro-government demonstrators rally in the capital, Tripoli, blocking traffic in some areas, witnesses say.

Feb. 16, 2011

Roughly 200 protesters take to the streets in Benghazi to show support for human rights activist and lawyer Fathi Terbil, according to CNN. Several are arrested amid confrontations with police. A highly placed source close to the Libyan government tells CNN, "there is nothing serious here. These are just young people fighting each other."

March 9, 2011

King Mohammed VI says that Morocco will revise its constitution for the first time in 15 years, aiming to strengthen democracy in the face of a push across the Arab world. In a rare TV and radio speech to the nation, the popular monarch says a new commission will suggest constitutional revisions to him by June, and the overall project will be put to Moroccan voters in a referendum.

Feb. 20, 2011

Thousands of people march in cities across Morocco demanding a new constitution to bring more democracy in the North African kingdom amid the wave of Arab world upheaval. Demonstrators shout slogans calling for economic opportunity, educational reform, better health services and help coping with rising living costs during a march on central Hassan II Avenue in the capital, Rabat.

Scattered violence breakks out in some places. Stone-throwing youths clash with police near the ocre-colored walls of touristic hub of Marrakech, where angry mobs overturn and torch several parked cars.

Protests called for Feb. 20

Bloggers calling themselves "Moroccan movement of 20 February" call for protests on Feb. 20 to challenge a monarchy they say has monpolized power.

March 1, 2011

Oman deploys troops north of the capital Muscat and near the border with the United Arab Emirates, following three straight days of anti-government protests, a government official says.

Feb. 27, 2011

Police kill an anti-government protester in Sohar, after demonstrations turned violent. Several government buildings and a supermarket aree set on fire, local media reports. Oman, ruled by a powerful family dynasty, is the latest Arab nation to be swept up in a wave of regional unrest that has already brought down two leaders and threatened the rule of others.

Feb. 4-5, 2011

An online campaign organizes "days of rage" against Syrian President Bashar Assad Feb. 4 and 5, 2011, but no one shows up. The lack of demonstration is attributed to intimidation by security agents and strong support among Syrians of Assad's anti-Israel policies. It's also believed that many of the online organizers were Syrians living abroad. After the "days of rage," Syrians said Facebook and Youtube became available for the first time in three years. The country has had a longstanding ban on social networking sites.

Feb. 27, 2011

Less than a minute after Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannoushi resigns in a speech on national television, the crowd filling this city's Casbah Square suddenly halts the angry chants that had continued round-the-clock for days. There is silence, and then cheers, chants and circles of ecstatic dancing. For the second time in as many months, the people of Tunisia have toppled their government, and now their chant changed to "The act is done, the rest is yet to come!"

Jan. 14, 2011

Tunisian President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali loses his grip on power. The country's prime minister announces that he is taking over to organize early elections and usher in a new government. Ben Ali, 74, flees the North African country. After several hours of mystery over his whereabouts, the office of Saudi King Abdullah confirms early Saturday that Ben Ali and his family have landed in Saudi Arabia.

Jan. 4, 2011

With burns from his self-immolation covering 90 percent of his body, Bouazizi dies in a hospital. By this time, his act had spurred protests throughout the country, against stifling bureaucracy and corruption.

Dec. 17, 2010

College-educated Mohamed Bouazizi, 26, a fruit vendor in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia, sets himself on fire in protest. He was angered by a municipal inspector who tried to confiscate his apples then slapped him in the face when he reached back for them. He was then beaten by two of the inspector's colleagues.

March 10, 2011

President Ali Abdullah Saleh announces that a new constitution will be drafted, to transfer power from the president to a parliamentary system by the end of this year.

March 2, 2011

Detainees in one of Yemen's largest prisons riot for the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, chanting "the people want to overthrow the regime," Al Jazeera reports. A Yemeni security official says about 2,000 inmates stage the revolt, taking a dozen guards hostage. The riots prompt security forces to open fire with tear gas and live ammunition.

The official says the unrest in the Sanaa prison erupted lwhen prisoners set their mattresses ablaze and occupied the facility's courtyard. At least three prisoners in the Sanaa facility are reported killed and four others injured, inmate Sharif Mobley tells Al Jazeera by phone from within the prison.

March 2, 2011

Yemen's leader comes under new pressure as influential clerics, tribal leaders and some members of Yemen's opposition present a plan for a peaceful transition of power. President Ali Abdullah Saleh earlier pledged that he would not seek reelection in 2013. But some protesters demand that he step down immediately, and the opposition's proposal marks an attempt to find a middle ground.

March 1, 2011

Anti-government demonstrations grow larger and more boisterous. Tens of thousands call for an immediate end to President Ali Abdullah Saleh's authoritarian rule. Organizers call it the "Day of Rage," a name chosen to echo the protests in Egypt that led to President Mubarak's ouster. Since the protests in Yemen began Feb. 16, human rights activists say at least 27 people have been killed.

Yemen's embattled president accused the United States and Israel of trying to destabilize his country and the Arab world. Saleh's comments marked his harshest public criticism yet of the U.S. He said "there is an operations room in Tel Aviv with the aim of destabilizing the Arab world" and that it is "run by the White House."

Feb. 23, 2011

Thousands stream into a square in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, trying to bolster anti-government demonstrators after club-wielding backers of President Ali Abdullah Saleh tried to drive them out. Seven legislators resign from Saleh's ruling General People's Congress party because of the situation in the country and said they will form an independent bloc, according to a member of parliament, Abdul-Aziz Jabbari. The resignations raise to nine the number of legislators who have left the party since protests began.

Feb. 21, 2011

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh rejects demands to resign immediately, declaring that protesters clamoring for an end to his rule must do so through elections rather than through violence and chaos.

But at the same time, he repeats his offer to hold a dialogue over power-sharing with Yemen's main opposition parties. The parties have rejected his proposal, saying they can't negotiate with a government whose loyalists and security forces have attacked pro-reform protesters with "bullets and sticks and thuggery."

Feb. 19, 2011

Yemeni riot police in the capital shoot dead an anti-government protester and injur five others when they open fire on thousands marching in the 10th day of unrest rocking the country. The country's leader blamed the unrest on "a foreign plot." Protesters seeking to oust longtime President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a key U.S. ally in fighting al-Qaida terrorists march from the University of Sanaa to the Ministry of Justice, chanting: "The people want the fall of the regime."

Feb. 18, 2011

Anti-government protesters clash with loyalists of President Ali Abdullah Saleh on the streets of Sanaa for the eighth straight day, hurling insults and chunks of concrete at one another.

For the first time since revolts erupted in Tunisia and Egypt, Yemeni soldiers, dressed in orange and brown uniforms, are posted at the scenes of the fighting. In the southern city of Aden, one protester dies and four are wounded when police fired gunshots to try to break up a crowd, the Reuters news service reported. It is the seventh death this week in Aden.

Feb. 17, 2011

In Sanaa, Yemen's anti-government activists suddenly, surprisingly retaliate with fury against heavily armed pro-government mobs, fighting with metal pipes, wooden sticks, and daggers, and deepening the pressure to find a way to calm Yemen's increasingly angry and volatile protesters.

Feb. 15, 2011

Small clashes between anti-government demonstrators and supporters of President Ali Abdullah Saleh break out in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, as demonstrations seeking Saleh's resignation unfolded for a fifth straight day. Saleh has offered significant concessions, including a pledge not to run for another term in office and not to anoint his son as his heir apparent. And Yemen's political opposition has agreed to sit down again with the government to discuss reconciliation and power sharing.

Feb. 14, 2011

Scores of riot police attempt to separate dueling factions in the fourth day of anti-government protests, but the pro-government crowds appeared determined to chase away foes who demanded the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has ruled this impoverished nation for 32 years.

Feb. 11, 2011

Anti-government protests begin in Yemen, inspired by revolts in Egypt and Tunisia.