Houthi Shia rebels have captured Yemen's southern province of Al-Bayda after two months of deadly fighting with forces loyal to president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, local media reported on Friday.
The pro-Hadi troops have withdrawn southwards to the neighbouring coastal province of Abyan, the reports said, citing security and media officials.
Two months of fierce fighting killed 550 from both sides and among the 300 pro-government fighters killed, 30 were mistakenly targeted by airstrikes from the Saudi-led coalition backing the government, according to the officials.
The turning point in the battle for Al-Bayda was the Houthis' conquest of a key military base outside the rebel-held city of Mukayris, the officials said.
Ground fighting and Saudi-led airstrikes that began in March have killed at least 5,400 people in Yemen's multisided conflict, which started as a civil war but has drawn in foreign powers in a regional struggle for influence between Sunni Gulf states and Shia Iran.
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