DHAKA: Fighting continues in Yemen between the Houthi rebels and al-Qaeda-backed Sunni tribesmen, leaving at least 68 Houthi fighters dead in the province of Bayda.

The news came as protesters in Yemen's capital called on the Houthi fighters to leave after a deadline to form a new government passed on Tuesday without an agreement, reports aljazeera.com.

Sporadic clashes erupted between the Houthis and tribesmen in Radaa after the Houthis killed an army officer belonging to the Qaifa tribe.

In retaliation, tribesmen reportedly attacked Houthi armed rebels in the northeast of Radaa.

Al-Qaeda fighters are also reportedly in control of the four main areas of Odain district, with the goal of preventing Houthi fighters from advancing in Ibb province in central Yemen.

But the Houthis, members of Yemen's Zaidi Shia community, have made several significant advances recently, taking over the key port city of Hodayda, along with two northern provinces, last week.

The Houthis have seized on chronic instability in the country since the 2012 toppling of long-serving President Ali Abdullah Saleh to take control of large parts of the country.

President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's Sunni-led central government has so far failed to stop the rebels, despite a UN-brokered peace deal that was supposed to see them withdraw from Sanaa.

BDST: 1147 HRS, OCT 22, 2014