Aden, Apr 2 (IANS): Unidentified gunmen killed a senior military official of Yemen's government forces in the country's southwestern province of Taiz, a security official told media.

"Two masked gunmen riding a motorcycle opened fire and assassinated colonel Yasser Al-Hashidi in the Wadi Al-Qadi neighbourhood in the centre of Taiz province late on Friday night," the local security official said on condition of anonymity on Saturday.

Well-known for his active role in leading operations against the Houthi group in Yemen, Al-Hashidi served as the chief of operations for the third Border Guard Brigade affiliated with the pro-government forces, said the official.

The local security authorities have swiftly responded to the situation and have opened an investigation into the drive-by shooting incident, according to the official.

Assassinations have become more frequent in recent years as the conflict has dragged on, with various Yemeni warring parties targeting each other's military and political figures, Xinhua news agency reported.

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

The UN has been pushing for a ceasefire and peace talks in Yemen to end the more than eight years of civil war which caused the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The conflict brought the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of collapse, leaving millions of people without access to adequate nutrition.