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DUBAI (Reuters) - A bomb blast at a market in a northern Yemeni town killed six civilians and injured 15 others on Thursday night, security officials said.

Assailants planted an improvised explosive device at a market in al-Hazm northeast of the capital just as it was packed with shoppers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility and the motive for the attack remained unclear.

Al Qaeda and Islamic State militants have taken advantage of more than two years of a conflict pitting the government, backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, and the armed Houthi movement to carry out bombings on both sides, whom they accuse of being apostates.