Sources told AP at least 17 people were killed in clashes between al-Qaeda and Houthi militants Sunday.
Al-Qaeda militants attacked three Houthi positions in the central province of Bayda, leading to 12 casualties, AP reported. Officials also said five people were killed in a separate clash between Houthi and anti-Houthi tribes
Yemen has been in turmoil since Houthi rebels took control of the capital Sanaa in September, forced President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi into resignation, and declared a new constitution for the country.
Hadi fled to Aden last month, a city he now recognizes as the capital. The southern port city, where the defense minister fled Sunday, has become a stronghold for the president and his supporters.
