Philippine condemns terrorist attack in Yemen

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The government condemned today the deadly terrorist attack in the Yemeni Defense Ministry Complex on Thursday that killed at least 52 people, including seven Filipino hospital staffers.

Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said the Aquino administration is urging the Yemeni government to bring to justice those who perpetrated the attack.

"We condemn this senseless and barbaric act and we call on the Yemeni government to bring the masterminds to justice and to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of Filipinos and other foreigners in Yemen," he said in a press conference.

Hernandez said besides the 7 deaths, 12 other Filipinos got injured in the incident. Among them, the 11 people that sustained minor injuries were shaken and traumatized, while the other one sustained a head injury which required surgery.

Hernandez said the victims were working at a hospital located inside the complex, but he refused to divulge the names of the fatalities until their next-of-kin have been informed.

"All survivors were taken to a safe place. The situation has already stabilized and Yemeni security forces are now in control of the complex," he said.

Hernandez said the Philippine Honorary Consul in Sanaa Mohammad Al-Jamal, with the assistance of Filipino community leader Esther Galahan, are visiting hospital morgues to check if there are other Filipino fatalities.

The Philippine embassy in Saudi Arabia, which has jurisdiction in Yemen, is also coordinating with the Yemeni Defense and Interior Ministries to ensure the safety of Filipinos in that country and "are trying to obtain additional information from them with regard to this incident," Hernandez added.

Vice Consul Redentor Genotiva will be sent to Sanaa at the soonest possible time to assist the victims and to assess the situation there, he said.

He will also be helping in the arrangement of the immediate repatriation of the remains of the fatalities, Hernandez said.

It is reported that a series of attacks at Yemen's Defense Ministry on Thursday have left at least 52 dead and some 162 hurt.