Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Shiite Muslim rebels battling the Yemeni army in the northwest of the country said they have taken control of a district on the border with Saudi Arabia and seized military positions.

“Complete control over the Qatabir district was attained late yesterday,” the Houthi rebels said in an e-mailed statement today. Qatabir lies in Saada province on the northwestern border with Saudi Arabia.

Rebels captured all the military positions, weapons and equipment in the district, the group said in the statement. The Defense Ministry said government troops “inflicted huge losses” on the rebels in fighting in two mountainous regions in Saada and neighboring Amran province.

Government troops destroyed rebel “dens” in the Harf Sufian district of Amran and near the provincial capital of Saada province, the ministry said in a report posted on its Web site late yesterday. It wasn’t possible to verify the claims made by the rebels and army.

Yemen’s army began an offensive on rebel strongholds in Saada and Amran on Aug. 11 in an attempt to crush the armed revolt that began in mid-2004.

To contact the reporter on this story: Khaled Abdullah in Sana’a, via the Dubai newsroom at mideastnews@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 10, 2009 00:12 EST