The Yemeni Air Force on Friday bombed the armed tribesmen after the latter seized a military checkpoint and besieged a military camp outside the capital Sanaa, an official of the Interior Ministry told Xinhua.

"The air raids are continuing to force the armed tribesmen back from the military area in Nahm area, some 40 km northeast of Sanaa, which run by the Republican Guards," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The clashes broke out after the armed tribesmen marched towards the barracks of the Republican Guards in an apparent attempt to take over it, but they had just seized only one checkpoint located outside the camp till now, he said.

Meanwhile, a tribal official said the air raids, which is still going on, came after tribesmen took over three military positions in al-Farada, Thouma and Bani Shakwan in Nahm.

The tribal official, who asked not to be named, told Xinhua that the continuing air raids have left dozens of tribesmen dead and many others injured.

He said that they learned that a backup of military forces were en-route to support the stationed force and to free the already occupied military positions.