Sanaa , Yemen ( CNN ) -- More than 2 million anti-government protesters gathered on Friday in Changes Squares across Yemen calling on revolutionary forces to take decisive action against President Ali Abdullah Saleh 's regime and at any costs . Protests took place in 16 of Yemen 's 21 provinces . Youth protesters in Sanaa chanted , `` Escalation is a must for a quick ending of regime , '' and `` Yemen will follow Libya 's footsteps . '' This comes as defected military general Ali Mohsen released a video statement on Tuesday threatening to use force to ensure that the Yemeni revolution succeeds . `` We know that the revolution will need military interference , and we will work to make it happen , '' said Mohsen . He also advised Saleh to not `` follow the footsteps of Satan '' and step down from power . Saleh is currently in Saudi Arabia where he is being treated for burns sustained in an attack on his palace earlier this year . He has vowed to return to Yemen to finish his term as president . Other opposition officials are also calling for military action against the Saleh government . The Yemeni revolution will prevail only if the military is used said Hasan Zaid , the secretary general of the opposition Haq party . `` No real revolution can prosper peacefully from history 's experience , '' he said . Fearing fresh clashes , heavily armed tribesmen loyal to the Ahmar family , chiefs of Yemen 's most powerful Hashed tribe , started entering the capital and in large numbers . Eyewitnesses said that at least 200 entered Sana ' a over the last 24 hours . The tribesmen created checkpoint near the residence of tribal chief Sheikh Sadeq Ahmar 's , and blocked all roads leading to the Hasaba district . The Ahmar family waged a 12-day war with the government in June , which resulted in more than 200 deaths . Military planes were seen flying over the residence of Ahmar family in Hasaba and Hadda areas of the capital . On Thursday , the Interior Ministry announced that the Ahmar tribes killed a senior general in the army . The ministry said that the attacks on innocent civilians are not acceptable and the Ahmar family will be held responsible . Abdul Qawi al-Qaisi , the spokesman for Sheikh Sadeq Ahmar 's office said that two of their tribesmen were killed when government forces attacked them . `` The government continues to attack our tribes and insist on escalating the situation in the capital Sanaa , '' said Qaisi . Yemen 's capital is seeing its strongest security presence since the Sanaa war in June . Eyewitnesses said that more than 2,000 pro-government heavily armed tribesmen are stationed in the outskirts of Sanaa on a mission to cleanse Sanaa 's Change Square from youth protesters . `` When we arrived to Sanaa today , they were in tents and said they were waiting for government orders to enter Sanaa , '' said Wissam al-Sabahi , a resident of Sanaa .
Opposition leaders call for military action against the Saleh government . The United States and Britain have been trying to get a resolution passed that would allow them to take direct control of Yemen if it is taken over by Al Qaeda or other terrorist groups. More than 2,000 pro-government heavily armed tribesmen are stationed in the outskirts of Sanaa .