A French national on Monday was shot dead and another was wounded in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, confirmed Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius.

"We learn with sorrow and indignation the murder of a French citizen in Sanaa...," Fabius announced, confirming earlier media reports.

Armed men opened fire on a French security worker employed by the EU mission in Yemen. He succumbed to his injuries while another French national had been injured, the minister added.

"France strongly condemns these acts of violence. It sends its condolences to the families of victims," the top diplomat said.

In a separate communique, French President Francois Hollande denounced the "cowardly attack," adding that "the government, with Yemeni authorities, will make every effort to ensure that all light be shed on the circumstances of this heinous act and that the perpetrators will swiftly identified."

Meanwhile, the European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton also condemned the killing of the EU security worker.

"I condemn in the strongest term the killing today, in Sanaa, of a member of the team providing security to the EU Delegation and the wounding of two others," Ashton said in a statement.