A "limited" number of Saudi-led ground troops deployed in Yemen's second city Aden on Sunday to support loyalist militia fighting rebels, a government official and a militia commander said.  

"A limited coalition force entered Aden and another force is on its way" to the southern port city, said the official who requested anonymity.

A leading member of the popular committees, a locally recruited militia loyal to exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, told AFP that the force "will start helping us in fighting" the rebels.

The Saudi-led coalition has been conducting an air war against the rebels and their allies since March 26 but this is the first reported ground deployment inside the country.