A gunman threw grenades and opened fire on worshipers at a mosque in Yemen's southern capital Sanaa late on Tuesday, killing four people and wounding 15 others, a security official said.

"The Shiite gunman hurled two grenade bombs and opened fire on the worshipers in Bani Bahlol mosque during evening prayers, killing four and injuring 15 others," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The gunman fled, said the official, adding that the incident was apparently for "political and sectarian revenge from Sunni branch of Islam."

Sanaa, the capital of Yemen which has been under control of Shiite Houthi group since it overthrew the government in September 2014, is awash of gunmen, weapons and lawless acts after the judiciary system and security apparatus have been suspended.

Security in Yemen has deteriorated since March 2015, when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullash Saleh, and the government backed by a Saudi-led Arab military coalition.

The current security vacuum was exploited by terrorist groups which also took advantage of the ongoing civil war to expand its influence and control more territories in lawless parts of the country.

Last week, a grenade exploded outside a mosque in Sanaa, controlled by the Iran-allied Houthi group, as worshipers were leaving after midday prayers. There were no casualties.

The Islamic State branch in Yemen claimed responsibility last September for a bomb attack on a Shiite-controlled mosque in Sanaa that killed 10 worshipers. Endit

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