Yemen presidency guards surround air force HQ: witness

ADEN (Reuters) - Yemeni presidential guards loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh surrounded an air force headquarters in the coastal city of Hudaida on Tuesday after its commander said he supported anti-Saleh protesters. A witness said there had been no clashes so far in the confrontation outside the Red Sea port.

A member of Saleh's presidential guard and an army soldier died in clashes between the two forces in the southeastern coastal city of Mukalla late on Monday, medical sources said.

The clashes erupted after several generals turned against Saleh, saying they supported pro-democracy demonstrators who want him to resign.

The most significant defection was that of General Ali Mohsen, commander of the northwest military zone and Saleh's kinsman from the al-Ahmar clan.

Saleh told a meeting of army commanders on Tuesday that Yemen would descend into civil war if he was forced to quit.

The defectors include generals, tribal leaders, diplomats and ministers. The defections have gained momentum since gunmen loyal to Saleh opened fire on demonstrators in the capital Sanaa on Friday, killing 52 people.

(Reporting by Mohamed Mukhashaf; Writing by Andrew Hammond, editing by Tim Pearce)