ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- At least three tribal gunmen were killed in armed clashes with government forces in the country's oil-rich northern province of Marib on Wednesday night, said a military official.
The armed confrontations broke out between government military units and tribal attackers in Dhameen area, located close to the Safer oil fields in Marib, the local military source said on condition of anonymity.
"The tribal gunmen set up a checkpoint and attempted to confiscate two tankers carrying oil derivatives, prompting government troops to intervene," the military source said.
He clarified that the government's intervention sparked intense clashes that left three gunmen killed and nearly five soldiers critically injured.
Local mediators stepped in to broker a ceasefire and de-escalate tensions. However, the source said the situation remains volatile as more gunmen arrived in the region.
The Safer fields, a key strategic and economic asset, have been targeted before by Houthi militants and other armed groups seeking to damage Yemen's oil production.
Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Houthi militia stormed several northern cities and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa. A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in 2015 to support the Yemeni government. ■
