Aden (Yemen), Apr 28 (IANS): A senior commander of Yemen's government forces was killed in a roadside bomb blast in the country's southern province of Abyan, a security official told an international news media portal.

"Fawzi Shaif Bakri, who served as the commander of the third battalion of the government Security Belt forces, died due to a roadside bomb that went off close to the convoy he was travelling in," the local security official said on condition of anonymity on Thursday.

He added that the explosion also wounded three of his guards, Xinhua news agency reported.

The injured guards were immediately transported to a nearby hospital to receive medical treatment, according to the official.

Tensions have been escalating in Abyan as al-Qaida gains a foothold in the region, exploiting the current instability caused by the years-long military conflict raging in Yemen.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida terror group has been responsible for a surge in attacks against government forces, intelligence officials, and military infrastructure, further exacerbating the already dire situation in the war-ravaged Arab country.

In an effort to combat the mounting terror threat, government forces backed by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition conducted several large-scale military operations on al-Qaida hideouts in recent months.

However, the Yemeni government forces have not been successful in eliminating the terror groups entrenched in various mountainous areas of Abyan and other neighbouring southern provinces.

Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating civil war since 2014, with the Houthi rebels fighting against the internationally-recognised government and its allies, which include a Saudi Arabia-led coalition.