SANAA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi militia on Saturday captured new areas in southern Marib province in central Yemen after fierce fighting with government troops, a military source said.
"Houthi militia advanced from Harib district and captured this morning the Mal'aa hilltops, the adjacent valley of Om Reash and part of the main highway in the area, which leads to Al-Jubah district and the province's capital, Marib city," the government military source in the city told Xinhua.
"Dozens of soldiers were killed and wounded when trying to repel the militia attack," he said on condition of anonymity, without providing information on casualties.
The Houthi group has made no comment yet.
With the control of Harib district earlier this week, the Houthi group now controls ten districts out of 14 in the province.
The Iran-backed Houthi militia launched in February a major offensive on Marib in an attempt to seize control of the oil-rich province, the last northern stronghold of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. Enditem
