By Mohamed al-Samei

SANAA

A senior military commander was killed in a mortar attack by Houthi rebels east of Yemeni capital Sanaa, according to a military spokesman on Monday.

Brigadier-General Taher Hamid al-Sharabi was killed when a shell struck Nahm district, east of Sanaa, Colonel Abdul Basset al-Bahar told Anadolu Agency.

He said al-Sharabi was responsible for clearing the area from landmines planted by Houthi rebels.

There was no comment from the Shia Houthi group on the report.

Nahm has been the scene of sporadic clashes between government forces and Houthi rebels for more than two years now during which hundreds of people were killed.

Yemen fell into civil war in 2014 when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including Sanaa, forcing the government to flee to Saudi Arabia.

A year later, Saudi Arabia and several Arab allies launched a massive air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi military gains.