US sends team of Marines to Yemen: Pentagon
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Protestors take cover as police use water cannons to disperse them during clashes near the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen on Friday, Sept 14, 2012, as part of widespread anger across the Muslim world about a film ridiculing Islam's Prophet Muhammad. -- PHOTO: AP
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States (US) has sent Marines from the Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team (Fast) to help protect its embassy in Yemen during demonstrations, the Pentagon said on Friday.
"A Fast platoon is now on the ground in Sanaa," spokesman George Little told reporters, describing the deployment of the 50-strong unit as a "precautionary step" amid anti-American unrest in the Middle East.
Mr Little told reporters there were no immediate plans to evacuate the Yemen embassy, but that security would be stepped up.
Earlier, Yemeni security forces had fired warning shots and water cannon to disperse hundreds of protesters trying to reach the US embassy in Sanaa after Friday prayers.
