Yemeni protesters in the capital city of Sana'a (Creative Commons).

The Pentagon said Tuesday that military aid will continue to flow into Yemen, as clashes between forces loyal to longtime President Ali Abdullah Saleh and anti-government demonstrators continue to become increasingly violent.

The announcement came as skirmishes between the two factions erupted in violence on Tuesday; at least three people loyal to Saleh were killed by soldiers siding with the opposition.

The U.S. has relied on Yemen as a key ally in the War on Terror and has yet to publicly call for Saleh's ouster.

The Defense Department spent $150 million to train and arm Yemen's security forces in 2010, according to the AFP. They have also requested more than $100 million from Congress for aid in Yemen for the current fiscal year and $115.6 million in military and economic aid for 2012.

More than 120 people have been killed and 5,000 injured since the protests started in February, according to the AP.

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