SANAA, Yemen

Three Houthi rebels were killed in an attack by government forces in the southwestern Taiz province, according to the military.

A military statement said the fatalities occurred during an attack by government forces on Houthi rebel positions west of Taiz city on Friday.

No injuries were reported among government soldiers.

There was no comment from the Houthi group on the claim.

Meanwhile, the state news agency Saba, citing local sources, said five civilians, including two children, were injured in rebel shelling in Taiz.

Government forces and Houthi rebels share control of Taiz, one of Yemen’s most populated provinces.

Yemen’s warring rivals have failed to renew a UN-mediated cease-fire, which expired on Oct. 2.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since September 2014, when Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.

A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in early 2015 to restore the government to power.

The eight-year conflict has created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with millions suffering from hunger.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar