More death and unrest in Northern Yemen as Houthis press on against Salafis

The battles between Shi'ite Muslim Houthi fighters and rivals from a Sunni Salafi group erupted last Wednesday in the mountainous Saada province, which has long been outside the control of the central Yemeni government.

Yemen's stability is a priority for the United States and its Gulf Arab allies because of its strategic position next to oil exporter Saudi Arabia and shipping lanes, and because is home to one of al Qaeda's most active wings.

The sectarian fighting in the north has cast a shadow over national reconciliation efforts launched this year after long-serving President Ali Abdullah Saleh was forced to step down following a popular uprising in 2011.

The Salafis say the fighting began with a Houthi attack last week on their Damaj stronghold, about 40 km from the Saudi border. All the 58 dead are from the Salafi side, according to a Salafi spokesman. The Houthis have reported no casualties.

The Houthis accuse the Salafis of igniting the strife by bringing thousands of foreign fighters into Damaj. The Salafis say the foreigners are students there to study Islamic theology.