ADEN, Yemen, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 soldiers from Yemen's government forces were killed in an overnight attack launched by the Houthi rebel militia in the country's central oil-rich province of Marib, a government military official said on Sunday.
"The Houthi rebel fighters launched an offensive and targeted military sites of the government forces in Harib district of Marib late on Saturday night, sparking intense battles in the area," the local military official said on condition of anonymity.
The Houthis used heavy weapons and grenades to storm the government forces' sites from different directions, killing 11 government soldiers, including a senior officer, and injuring a number of other soldiers, the official said.
Government forces were able to confront the Houthis and thwart the rebel group's attempt to control more sites in Harib after the arrival of reinforcements, according to the official.
The government forces backed by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition recaptured the Harib district in Marib and other key areas in the province following deadly battles that left scores of soldiers killed from warring sides last year.
Yemen has witnessed sporadic armed confrontations between the local warring factions after a cease-fire brokered by the United Nations expired in October last year.
Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Houthi militia stormed several northern cities and forced the Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa. ■
