A Yemeni man killed at least a dozen people, including his wife and three children, in a family dispute in the country's central province of Bayda, security officials said on Tuesday.

The father of three was trying to settle a dispute with his wife who was staying at her family's house for three weeks after delivering the couple's third child, the officials said.

The man, in his 20s, opened fire on his wife's family, killing at least 12 people and wounding four others, including three policemen, they said. Among the dead were his wife, two children and the couple's 20-day old infant, the officials said.

Security forces killed the man in an exchange of fire while he attempted to flee, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

It was not immediately clear what sparked the family's dispute. The officials said the incident took place late Monday in the al-Shareia neighborhood in the city of Bayda.

Yemen plunged into chaos and civil war when the Houthi rebels took over the capital, Sanaa, in 2014 from the internationally recognized government. A Saudi-led coalition allied with the government has been fighting the Houthis since March 2015.

The war in Yemen has spawned the world's worst humanitarian crisis, leaving millions suffering from food and medical shortages. It has killed over 112,000 people, including fighters and civilians, according to a database project that tracks violence.