SANAA
At least 15 Shiite Houthi militants and five tribesmen were killed on Monday in clashes that broke out in Yemen's central Al-Baydaa province, a tribal source has said.
"Violent clashes erupted between the Houthis and armed tribesman following an attack by the latter on Houthi sites in the Al-Zaher district of Al-Baydaa," a tribal source who declined to be named told The Anadolu Agency.
Earlier in the day, another tribal source had told AA that a number of Houthi militants had been killed – and others injured – in a surprise attack by tribesmen on Houthi sites in Al-Zaher.
"The attack was followed by clashes that lasted several hours and which saw the use of missiles and automatic weapons by both sides," the source said.
Houthi leaders could not be reached for comment on the source's claims.
Al-Baydaa has been the scene of tit-for-tat fighting between Houthi militants and armed tribesmen backed by Al-Qaeda.
The Houthis have fought Sunni tribes and Al-Qaeda since September, when they took over capital Sanaa, from which they have sought to extend their control to other provinces, including Al-Baydaa.
