Rockets kill at least 22 civilians in Yemen

Sanaa: At least 22 civilians were killed and several others wounded as rockets allegedly fired by rebels crashed into the Yemeni city of Taez on Wednesday, medics and military officials said.

The Katyusha rockets hit areas in the centre of the city that is circled by Huthi rebels and allied forces loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh, a military official said.

"Al-Mutahideen hospital has received 22 bodies of civilians," a medical source said.

The military official said the rockets were "fired by Huthis and Saleh forces".

The city in central Yemen remains in the hands of forces allied with President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

The Huthis overran the capital Sanaa unopposed in September 2014 and went on to battle for control of several regions, aided by renegade troops loyal to Saleh.

In July, loyalist forces backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition evicted the rebels from five southern provinces and have since set their sights on Sanaa.

Around 4,500 civilians have been killed in the conflict since March when the coalition launched air strikes targeting the rebels.