Yemeni forces crackdown: Death toll rises to 54

At least 54 people were killed over two days in the deadliest crackdown yet on pro-democracy protesters in Sanaa, triggering fierce gunbattles on Monday between soldiers who had defected to the opposition and those loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh.Opposition forces said they agreed a truce with the government, though several rounds of gunfire and an explosion were heard in the Yemeni capital and a government official said the two sides were still working on a ceasefire deal.The military confrontation between opposition forces loyal to defected General Ali Mohsen and government troops was triggered by a government crackdown on two days of protests, threatening a new and even more violent phase in the eight-month standoff in Yemen.Demonstrators ratcheted up their protests on Sunday to try to break a stalemate, and government forces responded with heavy fire, while snipers shot at protesters from rooftops.At least 28 people were killed on Monday, raising the death toll to 54 over two days.Witnesses said government forces had traded heavy rifle and missile fire with troops loyal to Mohsen, who defected following an earlier crackdown in March which killed 52 people.