Gas station explosion in Yemen kills 3

A large explosion ripped through a gas station in Yemen's southern province of Abyan on Thursday, killing three people and injuring six others, a local security official told Xinhua.

"A gas tank exploded at a station owned by a local businessman in the town of Jaar in Abyan province, killing at least three people and wounding six others at the scene," the official said on condition of anonymity.

According to the official, the blast, taking place near a densely populated area, completely destroyed the gas station and caused damage to nearby buildings and vehicles, as well as triggered panic and fear among local residents.

The incident is the latest in a series of bombings and assaults that have inflicted a heavy humanitarian toll on Yemen's civilians over the past several years.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing and an investigation initiated by local security authorities is underway.

Yemen has been embroiled in a years-long military conflict after the Houthi militia took control of several northern cities and ousted the Yemeni government from Sanaa in 2014.

The ongoing conflict has resulted in a staggering number of casualties and has plunged the Arab world's poorest country into humanitarian crises, including widespread famine.