Presidential guards, Shiite Houthis clash in Yemen's capital

The presidential guards and Shiite Houthi fighters clashed near the presidential palace in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa early on Monday, without confirmation of casualties.

But reports later quoted a Houthi official as saying that ceasefire is in force in Sanaa.

Heavy gunfire and explosions were heard across the city early morning, particularly around the presidential palace of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, witnesses and officials said.

Witnesses said hundreds of people living in southern Sanaa fled the area amid heavy presence of Houthi fighters.

Meanwhile, tension is also high around Hadi's house on the 60th Street in central Sanaa as Houthi fighters closed all roads leading to the presidential palace and Hadi's house, a security official told Xinhua. Many shops were closed as the main roads were blocked.

No casualties could be confirmed. The government and Houthi group cannot be reached for comment on the clashes.

The Houthi-controlled media accused presidential guards of launching attack and injured two Houthis.

An intelligence official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that Houthi fighters besieged the headquarters of the Political Security Agency, the country's intelligence organ. He said intelligence forces were ordered Sunday night to remain on alert.

Tanks were seen heading to the presidential palace where smoke could be seen rising.

The Shiite Houthi group has controlled Sanaa since September after they signed a U.N.-backed deal to end week-long deadly clashes. The power-sharing deal empowered the Houthi group, which angered some powerful Sunni tribes.

The Houthis, based in the northern province of Saada, has since been expanding influence southward, and clashes with Sunni tribes have left more than 100 people dead.

The fresh clashes in Sanaa is triggered by the kidnapping of the director of the Yemeni presidential office, Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, by the Houthi group two days ago, in a wrangle over the first draft of the constitution.

The Yemeni government and Gulf countries demanded immediate release of bin Mubarak and the governor of the southern province of Shabwa, which is the hometown of bin Mubarak, threatened to shut down all energy companies if Houthis did not release him.

The Houthi group said in a statement that the arrest of bin Mubarak was a necessary step to prevent influential parties from approving the draft constitution.

According to the draft constitution, Yemen will be divided into six federal regions. However, the Houthi group demands that the country be divided into only two regions. Endi