Yemen protests
Anti-government protesters gather to receive other protesters who marched from the southern city of Taiz, in Sanaa. Reuters

Thousands of protesters in Yemen's capital met with gunfire, tear gas and water cannons on Saturday, it has been reported.

At least 10 people were killed when security forces took on the demonstrators, CNN has reported quoting eyewitnesses.

"Everyone here is screaming, blood and tear gas (are) everywhere. Saleh's forces are shooting with snipers. They are blocking streets and attacking women, tearing their hijabs. It's a war zone out here, smoke is everywhere. Soldiers also have batons," Murad Merali, one of the protesters, told CNN.

The demonstrations were held to protest certain clauses in the power transfer deal in the country and also the move to grant immunity to President Ali Abdullah Saleh from war crimes trial.

However, government officials maintained that the security forces had been ordered to evacuate the area of protests but not harm the demonstrators in any manner, the report has added.

Ali Hashem, a protester, told CNN: "We will continue marching and bullets will not scare us away."

"There are a lot of security forces out. Security forces were afraid the marchers would get too close to the Presidential Palace and they started attacking them. They used tear gas," added Ala'a Jarban, another protester.