SANAA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- A bomb struck a headquarters of the Shiite Houthi group in Yemen's central province of Dhamar on Sunday, killing at least four people and injuring 10 others, a police official told Xinhua.
"An explosive device went off near the gate of the Houthi headquarters in Dhamar province that is under control of the Shiite group, killing four Houthi armed fighters and wounding about 10 others," the official told Xinhua by phone on condition of anonymity.
"The powerful bomb blast almost destroyed the building and caused severe damage of nearby houses," he said.
The Houthis have cordoned off the area and set up checkpoints on the streets.
This is the fourth bombing attack targeting the Shiite Houthi group in less than a month.
Last week, an al-Qaida suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shiite Houthi religious ceremony in the southern province of Ibb, killing 33 Houthi followers and injured dozens of others.
On Dec. 16, the al-Qaida launched a car bombing attack against a Houthi office in the nearby province of al-Bayda, killing 40 people including 20 children. Two days later, al-Qaida militants conducted a suicide car bombing attack in the western port city of al-Hodayda, killing 18, most of whom are Houthi followers.
Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), known locally as Ansar al-Sharia, claimed responsibility for those attacks.
Security situation in Yemen rapidly worsened after the Shiite Houthi group took over the capital Sanaa by force in September. More than 400 people were killed in the week-long fighting.
After overrunning the capital, the Houthi group has deployed fighters in the country's central and southern regions, where the AQAP was active.
The Houthi group clashed with the AQAP several times in the provinces of Marib, al-Bayda, Ibb and Hadramout, leaving dozens dead from both sides.
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