Yemen's Shiite rebels stormed military posts and took control of the provincial capital of Amran province on Tuesday evening after weeks of fierce fighting against the army, a government official told Xinhua.

The Houthi rebels seized control of the headquarters of the special security forces and military police units on Tuesday afternoon without resistance in the northern Amran province, the official said on condition of anonymity.

They advanced later to several army posts and captured them, tightening siege around the headquarters of a military brigade in Amran city, the provincial capital of Amran province, the official said, adding that the rebels completely controlled the city in the evening after hours of clashes with soldiers.

Local residents told Xinhua that they saw scores of bodies laying in front of the gates of a military compound, and that the army reinforcements were stopped by the rebels at the main entrance of Amran city on the 50-km highway linking Amran to the capital Sanaa.

Shiite rebels were celebrating in the city, while no comment from the government was made.

At least 290 people were killed this month in clashes between the army and Shiite rebels in Yemen's northern provinces of Amran and al-Jouf following the collapse of the latest truce, interior ministry officials said on Tuesday.

The government and Shiite rebels signed two ceasefire deals in June, but the two sides failed to abide by the deals. The officials accused the rebels of seeking to expand control over the country's northern regions, which the rebels denied, saying they sought to provide protection to their tribal followers from the Sunni tribes.

The Shiite rebels have expanded their control over northern provinces since the eruption of protests against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2011. They have controlled the northern Saada province since August 2010, when they signed a ceasefire deal with the government and ended a six-year intermittent war.