By Murad el-Urayfi

AL-BAYDA, YEMEN

At least six Yemeni soldiers were killed in clashes with Houthi rebels in the country’s central Al-Bayda province on Saturday, a security source said.

The security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media, said tens of Houthi rebels were also killed during the clashes in the Nati district.

The Yemeni military also took control of most of the rebels' positions in the region, the source added.

Since January, the Nati district has seen continued fierce artillery exchanges between Yemen's army and Houthi rebels.

Yemen has been wracked by chaos since 2014, when the Shia Houthis overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa, forcing the Saudi-backed government to set up an interim capital in the coastal city of Aden.

The conflict escalated one year later when a Saudi-led coalition began a wide-ranging military campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi gains.