Philippines bans its workers from Yemen

Manila: The Philippines on Monday banned its workers from going to Yemen after an attack by militants there killed more than 50 people, including seven Filipinos.

The decision, announced by Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez, means Filipinos cannot take up jobs in Yemen while 1,500 to 2,000 of those already working in the country can choose to return home at the government’s expense.

Al Qaida claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack on Yemen’s military headquarters in Sana’a, saying it was retaliation for US drone strikes that have killed dozens of the terror network’s leaders.

The seven Filipinos killed included a doctor and nurses. Eleven others were wounded. They were among 40 Filipinos working in the hospital inside the complex.

About 10 million Filipinos work overseas, mostly in the Middle East, sending home millions of dollars that support the Southeast Asian nation’s economy.