A local government official said Thursday that some 400 families in the northeastern oil-rich province of Marib have been displaced due to the escalation of fighting between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels. Xinhua news agency quoted the official of Marib's local authority as saying that "During the past three days around 400 families left their villages and residential houses due to the nonstop intense battles in the province." The source who asked to be mentioned unnamed said that the evacuated families left the district of Sirwah among the exchange of indiscriminate artillery shelling between the two fighting rivals. He further warned that "Many families are now threatened by a second displacement wave and they are seeking to flee again to find other safe areas away from fighting."