Abu Dhabi, June 14 (AFP) Four Emirati soldiers have been killed in Yemen, the UAE armed forces said as its troops lead an offensive to take a strategic port city from rebels.

The deaths were announced in a statement published by the Emirati state news agency WAM yesterday, without detailing the time or location the soldiers were killed.

The United Arab Emirates has been playing a key role in the Saudi-led military campaign to back President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's government after Huthi rebels forced him into exile.

Yesterday they launched an offensive to retake the port city of Hodeida from the Iran-allied Shiite rebels.

More than 100 Emirati soldiers have been killed in Yemen since the Saudi-led intervention there began in March 2015.

Overall, nearly 10,000 people have been killed since the alliance launched the intervention, contributing to what the UN has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis. (AFP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)