Sana'a: Three Al Houthi rebels were killed and five others injured in an army ambush, the rebel spokesman has said.
"The army made an ambush [Friday] and killed three of our people, and injured five others on the road between Sana'a and Sa'ada," said the rebels' spokesman, Yousuf Al Faishi in a statement sent to local media.
The rebels spokesman denied earlier accusations of the government that Al Houthi rebels killed 11 people including three soldiers in an ambush in Majaz district.
He said the accusations are baseless and that what happened in district was only a tribal conflict.
On Thursday, the ministry of interior said that Al Houthi rebels killed 11 people, including 8 tribesmen loyal to the government and three soldiers in Majaz district.
Meanwhile, two more Al Qaida suspects were arrested after their cell was dismantled earlier this month in Mukalla city east of Yemen, the defence ministry said on its website on Saturday.
Two other Al Qaida suspects were arrested on July 5 when the cell clashed with the security forces in the area of Fuh, west of Mukalla city, where two militants and two soldiers were killed.
A total of 8 men belonging to the same cell, known as Fuh cell, were arrested later.
The ministry said it is still searching for more militants from this cell which included the Saudi national Abdullah Faraj Mohammad Lajubar, also known as Abu Ebrahim, who is on the wanted list of both Saudi and Yemeni authorities.
The 12 men already arrested are aged between 20-35, the ministry said.
A 27-year old Yemeni, who was born in Kuwait, and who works as engineer, was among those who were arrested. A university student and 20-year-old sailor were also among the arrested 12 men.
Earlier, the authorities said the Fuh cell was planning to carry out terrorist acts against security and military and development targets in Hudhrmout province.
An explosive belt was found in the house where the group was hiding. The ministry said the belt was supposed to be used in a suicide attack in the following day.
