Sanaa, March 25 (IANS): Yemen President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi on Wednesday remained in the port city of Aden after his tribal militia was defeated by the Shia Houthi group, who seized a military air base in Lahj province earlier in the day.

President Hadi is still in Aden to command his forces against the Houthi group, Xinhua reported, citing an official source.

Earlier in the day, the Shia Houthi fighters backed by security forces advanced towards Lahj province and captured a strategic military air base.

They are advancing into Lahj's central region, about 50 km away from Aden province, where Hadi stays, the official added.

A senior Houthi member said the group has arrested Defence Minister Major General Mahmoud al-Subaihi, who has been commanding most of the pro-Hadi army to battle the Houthis.

Hadi fled to Aden, the country's second biggest city, in late February after weeks of house arrest by the Houthi group in the capital Sanaa, and stepped up confrontations with the group who took over control of the capital in September 2014.