7 Pinoys killed in Yemen attack

MANILA, Philippines - Seven Filipino medical workers, including a doctor, were killed in Thursday’s suicide car bomb attack on Yemen’s Defense Ministry complex in Sana’a, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed yesterday.

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said other workers pretended to be dead to survive the assault, which left 12 other Filipinos injured with one requiring head surgery.

The DFA’s toll of Filipino fatalities is higher than the report by Yemen’s Saba news agency, which reported that two Filipina nurses were among the 52 killed.

The bomber rammed an explosives-packed car into the ministry, allowing gunmen to launch an assault on the complex.

 â€œWe condemn this senseless and barbaric act. We call on the Yemeni government to bring the mastermind to justice and take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of Filipinos and other foreigners there,” Hernandez said.

The DFA withheld the identities of the victims until their families have been informed.

 The victims are among 4O Filipino workers in the hospital inside the complex, the DFA said. There are around 1,000 Filipino workers in Yemen.

Philippine Honorary Consul in Yemen Mohammad Al-Jamal and Filipino community leader Esther Galahan were visiting hospitals to check if there are other Filipino casualties.

Based on accounts of survivors, the incident started when the first suicide bomber detonated his explosives at the gates of the ministry complex.

Another suspect was apprehended before he could enter, but the third bomber managed to pass through and detonated his explosives, causing the building to collapse.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, meanwhile, condemned the bombing in the Yemen capital.

“It was a senseless act that has no place in the world,” Binay said.

He called on the Yemen government to assist the families of the blast victims. -Jose Rodel Clapano, AP