Yemen military commander 'killed by rebels' in central province

Yemeni rebels have claimed to have killed a prominent military commander but the country's internationally recognised government disputes that, saying he died during an army drill.

Rebel officials said on Wednesday that they targeted a convoy of Vice President Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar in the central province of Maarib on Wednesday, killing General Mohamed Saleh al-Ahmar, the vice president's son-in-law.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to reporters.

The government-run SABA news agency reported that there was no attack on the vice president and that the commander died during a drill.

The commander was also a nephew of Yemen's late former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The Yemeni rebels, known as Houthis, are embroiled in a civil war since March 2015 with government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition.