Aden, Sep 6 (IANS): A senior officer of the Yemeni military and one of his bodyguards were killed in an armed attack on a routine military patrol in the country's northeastern province of Marib, said a security official.

The security source, requesting anonymity, said that the attack took place near the Safer oil field in Marib when a group of masked gunmen targeted the military patrol from the 107th Infantry Brigade, Xinhua news agency reported.

Light weapons and shells were used in the attack, which led to the burning of a military vehicle, said the source, adding that the attackers were able to escape the scene, and their identity remains unknown.

Yemeni government forces currently control the Safer oil field, one of the country's key oil fields, with the 107th Infantry Brigade tasked with providing special protection. Meanwhile, Houthi forces maintain a significant presence in other areas of Marib province.

Yemen has been mired in a devastating conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sanaa, along with large swathes of the country.