Sana'a - Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said on Wednesday that the revolt led by Shiite rebels in the north-western province of Saada has ended.

"The war in districts of Saada province ended three days ago, and God willing, it will never resume," Saleh said in a speech carried by state-run television.

He made the speech at the opening ceremony of summer youth camps in Sana'a. "Dialogue is the civilised way. It is better than bloodshed and violence," Saleh said.

Tribal sources in Saada, some 230 kilometres north of Sana'a, said mediation led by tribal chieftains was behind the breakthrough in the crisis.

Government officials in Sana'a refused to comment on the reported mediation.

"We had victims because of those rebels' fanaticism, extremism, ignorance and backwardness," the Yemeni president said.

Saada, a remote mountainous province located the border with Saudi Arabia, has been the scene of fierce fighting between Shiite rebels loyal to the outlawed Believing Youth group, known as Houthis, and government forces since mid-2004.

Waves of violent clashes have since left hundreds of government troops and rebels dead, and displaced thousands of civilians from the restive province. (dpa)