Sudan says it is reconsidering its participation in a Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting Iran-backed Shiite rebels in Yemen for more than three years.

Defense Minister Ali Mohammed Salem was quoted by local media as saying that the benefits and drawbacks of Sudan's participation are under evaluation.

He spoke Wednesday before the Sudanese parliament amid calls for the troops' withdrawal following reports of mounting casualties among Sudanese troops in Yemen in recent weeks.

Sudan is grappling with economic difficulties, including a hard currency shortage.

The Saudi-led coalition has been fighting rebels in Yemen, known as Houthis, since 2015 in a stalemated war that has killed more than 10,000 people.