State forces in Yemen opened fire on protesters in three cities Wednesday, killing at least nine people and injuring scores of others. A doctor in the capital city of Sana’a reported six people were killed and roughly 100 were wounded when shooters opened fire on a crowd numbering in the tens of thousands marching to the cabinet building. Speaking from a hospital ward filled with wounded protesters, one witness described the assault.

Witness: “So many people were hit by bullets. So many people are killed everywhere. So many people are killed. This regime doesn’t know mercy. I call on a revolution that destroys this regime. I call on an awakening of the people to destroy this regime and this killer (Saleh), who killed our martyrs.”

The violence came as protests against embattled president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, entered their fourth month.