Philippines orders mandatory Yemen evacuation

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines ordered a mandatory evacuation for all its citizens from the Yemeni capital Sanaa Monday amid the worsening political turmoil there, the foreign department said.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said security in the besieged city had become unstable after an attack by opposition tribesmen on the residence of President Ali Abdullah Saleh that left several people dead.

“In light of the worsening security situation in the city, we are asking Filipinos in Sanaa to get in touch with the embassy team stationed there so they could be moved to a safer area, and then out of the country,” del Rosario said.

About 1,400 Filipinos are in Yemen, many of them employed by foreign companies which had earlier assured the Philippine government of evacuation plans for them.

The foreign department however had earlier offered to fly all of the Filipinos home as the country spiralled into violence.

The wave of unrest in the Middle East and North Africa has displaced thousands of Filipinos working there, with about 26,000 having already fled Libya.

Del Rosario said a team of diplomats was ready to assist the Filipinos and get them out of harm’s way.

“The teams can move them in a safe area. They (Filipinos) are also asked not to venture outside if they feel that their safety is at risk,” he said.