DFA: 7 Filipinos dead, 11 more hurt in Yemen attack

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) - Seven Filipino medical workers were among the 52 killed in a suicide bombing attack in Yemen's capital, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Friday.

The DFA said the Filipino fatalities were medical workers including a doctor at a hospital inside the country's Defense Ministry complex in Sanaa where the suicide blast and gun assault occurred on Thursday.

At least 167 people were also hurt in the al-Qaida-style attack including 11 other Filipinos who sustained minor injuries but were "shaken and traumatized," the DFA said.

“We condemn this senseless and barbaric act and 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,” DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said in a statement.

He added that the names of the victims will not be revealed until their families have been informed.

Hernandez said all survivors have been taken to a safe place and Philippine officials are visiting hospital morgues to check if there are other Filipino fatalities.

"The situation has already stabilized and Yemeni security forces are now in control of the complex," he said.

The incident is one of the deadliest attacks on overseas Filipino workers and happened just months after the Philippines lifted its travel and labor ban to Yemen.

The bombed hospital has about 40 Filipino employees but three are currently on vacation in the Philippines.

The Associated Press reported that there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, the deadliest in Sanaa since May 2012.

"Such suicide bombings and complex attacks are the hallmarks of al-Qaida," the report said.

The Philippines has imposed security alert level 1 all over Yemen since 2012 due to the internal disturbance in the west Asian country.

Hernandez said Filipinos are advised to take precautionary measures at this alert level.

About 1,000 Filipinos are reportedly employed as health and construction workers in the said country.