Yemeni anti-government Tribesmen shot down on Wednesday an army warplane north of Sanaa.

 A military spokesman said a Sukhoi SU-22 "fell during a regular mission" and held opposition leaders "responsible for the incident," Saba state news agency.

The jetfighter was downed by anti-aircraft guns near Arhab, 40 kilometers north of the capital, where armed tribesmen have been locked in combat with the elite Republican Guard.
"We saw the downed plane in flames on the ground," one witness said.

The plane crashed in the village of Beit Azar, and the pilot who had ejected was captured by tribesmen, tribal sources said.

Yemen has been since months ago braced for anti-government protests against the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Saleh, who is under international pressure to relinquish power and allow new elections, returned to the country last week from medical treatment in Saudi Arabia following a deadly attack that targeted his presidential palace. His return  sparked violence in which scores have died.

The 69-year-old president has repeatedly refused to sign a power transfer deal brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in terms of which he would hand power to Vice President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi in return for immunity from prosecution.

On Sunday, heavy air strikes have targeted the tribal area of Arhab after a general and six other soldiers were killed  in clashes between tribesmen and the Republican Guard.

General Abdullah al-Kulaibi, head of the 63rd brigade of the elite Republican Guard unit, was killed in the attack by tribesman opposed to Saleh's rule in the strategic town of Nihm, the defence ministry said.
Four of the attackers were killed during the assault on the military base, about 60 kilometers from the Yemeni capital, it said.
Tribal sources claimed on Monday that 33 troops were captured in the confrontation.