Shi'ite rebels attack north Yemen town, death toll rises

SANAA (Reuters) - Shi'ite Muslim Houthi rebels backed by tanks launched a fresh attack on Friday on a town in north Yemen held by their Sunni Muslim Salafi rivals, a Salafi spokesman said, bringing the total death toll in three days of sectarian clashes to 40.

The fighting erupted on Wednesday despite government mediation efforts to shore up a ceasefire in place since late last year in the mountainous Saada province, which has long been outside the control of the central Yemeni authorities.