By Mubarak Mohamed

SANAA

A senior pro-government military commander was killed in a bomb blast in southern Yemen on Saturday, according to a local military officer.

The explosion struck the convoy of Lt-Col. Moeen al-Shamsi, commander of the 83 Air Defense Brigade, in the Qa’tabah district in the al-Dhale province, officer Saddam al-Maresi said.

One of al-Shamsi’s aides was killed and five others were injured in the bombing, he said.

There was no claim of responsibility for the attack.

Yemen has been riddled with war and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including capital Sanaa.

One year later, Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-Arab allies -- who accuse the Shia group of serving as an Iranian proxy -- began a massive air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi military gains in Yemen.