SANAA: One prisoner was killed and some 60 people, including around 20 police, were hurt Tuesday, in clashes between Yemeni security forces and inmates at Sanaa's central jail, a security official said.

Tawfiq Numan al-Sharif was killed as riot police tried to contain the uprising at the prison which began Monday, said the security official requesting anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media.

He said that some 20 police and around 40 prisoners were wounded, including four inmates who suffered gunshot wounds.

The prison protest took place as anti-regime demonstrations have raged in the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country for more than a month.

A security official said that the protest at the compound was sparked by alleged mistreatment, with inmates demanding the removal of the current prison director.

The official said that authorities suspect that some political prisoners incited inmates to transform their demonstration to an anti-regime protest.

Anti-government demonstrations across Yemen have left at least 27 people dead since late January, according to a toll by Amnesty International. Scores have also been wounded in the violence.