Religious and tribal leaders in Yemen have sided with protesters calling for the resignation of long-time President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
A group of influential leaders released a statement after a meeting late Thursday urging the president to respond to the peaceful demands and to step down quickly.
The opposition has rejected an offer from Gulf states to mediate a transfer of power, saying the plan would protect Saleh and his family from prosecution, and did not provide a timeline for his departure. Opposition leaders are insisting the president resign within two weeks.
Yemen's state-run media reported thousands of Saleh's supporters took to the streets of the capital Sana'a Thursday, waving the Yemeni flag and shouting pro-government slogans.
Saleh has ruled Yemen for the past 32 years.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.