Sanaa, Jan 9 (TIWN) Heavy clashes between the Yemeni government forces and the Houthi militia in the oil-rich central province of Marib have killed 13 government soldiers, a government military source said.

The source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that the clashes erupted late on Thursday in the Al-Jubah District of Marib and lasted till Friday morning, adding that there were casualties on both sides. 

Most of Marib, including all oil and gas fields, are under the control of the internationally recognized government. The Houthi group launched several rounds of attacks earlier in 2022, trying to take the oil facilities. 

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several cities in the northern country and pushed the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa.  The war has killed tens of thousands and pushed the country to the brink of starvation.