At least three people were killed and dozens wounded including four policemen on Monday in fierce clashes between Yemeni security forces and southern rioters in the southern province of al-Dhalee, an official of the Interior Ministry said.

The official said the clashes erupted as the police were trying to break a general strike organized Monday by the independence- seeker Southern Movement.

"The general strike has paralyzed the capital city of al-Dhalee province. There were numbers of armed militants hanging around the city and beat civilians who were not committed to the strike," the official who asked not to be named said.

"On the other hand, policemen tried to impose order in the city and protect the civilians, while they were doing so, the southern militants attacked a patrol security vehicle and arose the clashes. " he added.

The official said three civilians, who were forced to get involved with the southern armed rioters, were killed in the clashes, while local witnesses said those killed were civilians.

Meanwhile, four security soldiers were seriously injured by an rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) that was fired by the rioters, the security official told Xinhua on phone.

"The shell hit a place near some police vehicles, four policemen were seriously wounded and were rushed to a hospital," said the official.

He said there hasn't been any report of clashes in other southern provinces.

Northern and southern Yemen were unified in 1990 according to a deal between the People's General Congress and the Yemeni Socialist Party. However, the deal fell apart, leading to a crisis between the two allies, which developed into a civil war in 1994.

Recently, voices rise in South Yemen where secessionist sentiments are simmering, calling for disengagement from the north and the restoration of the southern state.