Sanaa, Aug 6 (IANS): Heavy fighting between Yemen's government forces and the Houthi militia continued to rage in the central province of al-Bayda as the military recaptured another strategic mountain, a source said.

The fighting took place on Thursday in two mountainous areas of Hisn al-Nasir and Akabat al-Kontho in the northeastern district of Nati, which is under the control of the Houthi rebels, the military source told Xinhua news agency.

Both mountainous areas overlook the adjacent strategic district of Bayhan in the neighbouring eastern province of Shabwa.

"The Houthi militia is trying to advance to Bayhan district to lay siege to the south of Marib Province," the source added.

During the fighting, the government forces recaptured Barbara mountain, a strategic height overlooking the Houthi rebels' positions in Nati.

The Houthi rebels have made no comment yet on the fighting.

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 recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.