Militants staged a deadly attack on Yemen 's Defense Ministry on Thursday , ramming the building with an explosives-laden vehicle , followed by gunmen who battled security forces inside . The attack targeted a hospital at the Defense Ministry complex , Yemen 's state-run Saba news agency reported . At least 52 people died in the attack in the capital , Sanaa , according to the government . A Defense Ministry official said four foreign doctors were among the dead . Also , a relative of President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi died in the attack , the government said . It did not name the relative . Earlier , Defense Ministry officials had said 10 soldiers and nine militants were among the dead . Gunmen shoot down Russian military contractors in Yemen . It took several hours for security forces to regain control of the building after the 9 a.m. attack . No group immediately claimed responsibility . The U.S. State Department condemned the attack . Yemen is home to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula , believed by many analysts to be the most dangerous affiliate of the terror network . The impoverished Middle Eastern nation also faces a growing separatist movement in the south and is frequently wracked by violence . Yemeni lawmaker killed , UN envoy reportedly fired upon in separate attacks .
Defense Ministry attack kills 52 people , including a relative of Yemen 's president . Attack targeted hospital at defense complex , Yemen state media reports . Militants drove an explosive-laden vehicle into the building . Gunmen then battled security forces inside .