At least 13 people were killed in clashes between Yemeni government security forces and tribal gunmen in the country's northeastern province of Marib, a government official said Saturday.

Disputes between Yemeni government security officials and tribesmen over the establishment of a tribal checkpoint sparked clashes late on Friday night in the al-Wadi district of Marib, a government-controlled province known for its rich oil resources, the official said on condition of anonymity.

Nine tribal militants and four government security personnel were killed in the clashes, which also injured several others from both sides, he said.

After the mediation of prominent tribal chiefs, the violence had stopped by Saturday afternoon, but the tension remains, according to the official.

The province of Marib houses many important oil and gas fields of Yemen. In recent years, the province has been engulfed in intense conflicts between government forces and Houthi rebels.

Yemen's civil war flared in late 2014 when the Houthi group seized control over much of the country's north and forced the internationally recognized government out of the capital Sanaa.