Sana'a, Yemen  - At least two protesters were killed and eight wounded in clashes with security forces in two cities in southern Yemen, local sources said on Sunday.

The sources said one protester was killed and five others wounded after police opened fire on protesters on Sunday in the southern city of Dalea, some 270 kilometres south of the capital Sana'a.

They said clashes broke out between police and armed protesters after security forces began firing tear gas canisters at dozens of protesters gathered in the city's main street.

The confrontations were the latest in a series of violent protests that have rocked cities in three southern provinces in the last few weeks, leaving dozens of dead and wounded among both the protesters and security force members.

Dalea is one of the strongholds of southern secessionist groups that want the south to secede from the north claiming that the central government exercises discriminatory policies against southerners.

In a similar protest in the south-eastern city of Shehiron Saturday evening, one protester was killed and three injured, medical sources said.

Witnesses said protesters held up flags of the former south Yemen and posters of its former president Ali Salim al-Beedh.

Confrontations were also reported in the twon of Anad around 50 kilometres north of the southern port city of Aden, but there were no reports about possible casualties.

North and South Yemen were united in 1990. In 1994, southern leaders announced the secession of the south and battled northern forces led by President Saleh for 10 weeks in a civil war that ended in their defeat.

The violence highlights the increasing discontent by the southerners and tensions between southern and northern Yemen, 15 years after the civil war. (dpa)