Baku, June 3 (AZERTAC). President Ali Abdullah Saleh has been slightly injured in an attack on his compound in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, and is in hospital, officials say, as pitched battles continue between government forces and armed tribesmen.

Earlier, officials told TV he was well and would address the nation shortly.

The PM and parliament speaker were also reported hurt and four guards killed.

Earlier troops shelled the home of the brother of the tribal leader whose supporters they are fighting.

A spokesman for the tribe said the palace attack was in retaliation for this.

Thousands meanwhile attended a funeral for 50 people killed in the violence.

The United States has sent an envoy to the Gulf to discuss ways of stopping the violence, which has brought Yemen to the brink of civil war.

More than 350 people have been killed since the uprising started in January, but least 135 of them have died in the past 10 days.

Western and regional powers have been urging Mr Saleh to sign a Gulf Co-operation Council-brokered deal that would see him hand over to his deputy in return for an amnesty from prosecution.

He has agreed to sign on several occasions, but then backed out.

GCC Secretary-General Abdulattif al-Zayani called for an end to the fighting and said the council was ready to do all it could to help, Reuters news agency reported.

There has been heavy fighting in the northern Sanaa district of Hassaba since last week between Mr Saleh`s forces and tribesman loyal to Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar, the head of the powerful Hashid tribal confederation.

Explosions were heard in the south of the capital for the first time. Witnesses said the army had shelled the home of Sheikh Hamid al-Ahmar, a leader of the opposition Islah party, in the Hadda district.

Later, a spokesman for the ruling General People`s Congress party said at least two shells had hit a mosque in the presidential palace compound.

The BBC`s Lina Sinjab said the situation in Sanaa was tense as people were worried it could turn into civil war

Tariq al-Shami told the AFP news agency that Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Mujawar, speaker of parliament Yahya al-Rai and several other officials were wounded in the attack, which he blamed on the tribesmen.

"The Ahmar [tribe] have crossed all the red lines," he added.

Al-Arabiya TV reported that Mr Rai was in a critical condition.

Suhail TV, a private television channel run by one of Sheikh Sadeq al-Ahmar`s brothers, said President Saleh had been killed.

Earlier, troops set fire to the headquarters of Suhail TV, while state TV showed pictures of the burning offices of national airline Yemenia, blaming it on the tribesmen.

The defence ministry said special forces personnel led by Mr Saleh`s son, Ahmed, had been deployed for the first time.

It said they would help "liberate" more than a dozen ministries and other government buildings occupied by the tribesmen.

Tribal sources meanwhile said several thousand tribesmen were heading to the capital from surrounding areas to join the fighting.

A spokesman for Sheikh Sadeq Ahmar told al-Jazeera TV the shelling of the palace was in response to the attack Sheikh Hamid Ahmar`s house.

The tribal leader was in a safe place and would continue to "resist this dictator", he said.