13 civilians die as Yemen army clashes with Shiite rebels

SANAA, June 25 (AFP): Clashes between Yemeni forces and Shiite Huthi rebels in the northern city of Amran claimed the lives of 13 civilians, who died when their houses collapsed, a medic said Wednesday.
The bodies of the 13, among them five children and two women, were taken to the city's public hospital, the medic said, adding that they died after "their houses collapsed in overnight clashes."
The fighting erupted when rebels attacked government forces near the university of Amran, in the western district of the city, a tribal chief said, adding that " dozens of houses and shops" were destroyed.
The Huthis-also known as Ansarullah-have advanced out of their northern mountain strongholds towards the capital in a suspected attempt to expand their sphere of influence as Yemen is reorganised into six regions.