Six Yemenis dead as Shiite militia attack tribal bastion

Shiite militiamen seized on Wednesday the Sanaa headquarters of an influential Yemeni tribe after overnight clashes that killed six people, sources from both sides said.

The fighting erupted late Tuesday in a northern district of Sanaa, near the seat of power of the Al-Ahmar clan, which heads the powerful Hashid tribe, the sources said.

A Shiite source said six people were killed in the fighting that raged all night and culminated with Houthi militiamen seizing the house where Al-Ahmar clan had its main headquarters.

The house was initially the home of Sheikh Abdullah al-Ahmar, the late leader of Hashid, and holds significant symbolism for the tribe.

It was unclear how many people were present inside the house, which is adjacent to the homes of other key members of the Al-Ahmar clan, when the clashes erupted.

The Shiite militias, also known as Ansarullah, overran Sanaa on 21 September. Since then they have spread their influence over other Yemeni provinces.

Earlier this year, the rebels drove the Al-Ahmar tribe out of its bastions in Amran, north of the capital.

Abdullah's son, Hamid al-Ahmar, heads the powerful Islamist Al-Islah (reform) Party which is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and also includes Salafists.

Supporters of Al-Islah have been resisting the Huthi militiamen advance.

A car bombing on November 18 killed Al-Islah assistant secretary general Sadeq Mansur and earlier this month, the Huthis attacked Al-Islah headquarters in the southwestern city of Ibb, killing three people.

Houthi sources meanwhile said that two of their members were killed Wednesday and three others wounded when "unknown gunmen" opened fire at them in the capital's south.