Yemen's interior ministry said on Friday four protesters were killed and 48 others including 10 policemen injured in the riots around the US embassy in downtown the capital Sanaa the prior day.

The casualties occurred in the clashes after mobs marched to the US embassy compound, broke in and destroyed equipment and other properties in protest against a movie offending prophet Muhammad, it said.

The movie was reported to have been published in the US.

The mobs destroyed 61 cars, burned 13 and stole another car and they also destroyed the doors of the embassy and the guards' room, the ministry said, pointing out that 8 suspects, aged between 18-30 years old, were arrested in connection with the events at the US embassy in Yemen.

After several Arab and Muslim countries including Egypt, Yemeni people condemned the movie, which was reportedly published in the US in the past few days. They marched to the US embassy to protest the offending movie and, when guards tried to prevent them rioting erupted.

No one of the staff at the embassy was hurt.

President Abdrabu Mansour Hadi condemned the attack on the US embassy and offered apology to the US counterpart and people.

He formed a panel to probe the events that have drawn wide condemnation from all political factions, religious groups and other elites.
The Yemeni official agency reported Friday that Hadi had received a telephone call from US President Barack Obama and was assured the attack on the US embassy by angry mobs will not affect the bilateral relations.