ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Forces loyal to Yemen's government declared killing 15 members of the Houthi rebel group in an ambush in the country's oil-rich province of Marib on Tuesday.

According to a brief statement released by the country's Ministry of Defence, the army soldiers backed by local tribal fighters set up a well-planned ambush and attacked the Houthi rebels in Al-Mashjah area in Marib's western part.

It clarified that the government forces ambushed the Houthi rebels while they were attempting to infiltrate into key military positions controlled by the army.

The Yemeni ministry pointed out that the operation resulted in the killing of nearly 15 Houthi rebels and injuring several others.

No information, however, was given about casualties among the soldiers of the government during the exchange of fire with the Houthi rebels in Marib.

The Houthi rebels began in February a major offensive on Marib in an attempt to seize control of the oil-rich province, the government's last northern stronghold.

Yemen's civil war flared up in late 2014 when the Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north and forced the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. Enditem

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