Los Angeles, January 27: Two powerful bomb explosions at a Roman Catholic cathedral in the southern Philippines on Sunday killed at least 20 people and wounded more than 100 others, media reports said.
According to police, the church is located in a stronghold of Islamist militants. The attacks took place days after voters approved expanded Muslim self-rule in the region.
In an attack claimed by the Islamic State group, a powerful first blast shattered pews, broke windows and left bodies strewn inside the cathedral in the Catholic-majority nation’s restive south as mass was being celebrated, AFP reported.
“Moments later a second explosion outside killed troops who were rushing to help the wounded in the smoking and heavily damaged church on Jolo, which is overwhelmingly Muslim”, it added.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines have secured the area of the blast and have transported injured victims to the nearest medical facilities, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement.
“I have directed our troops to heighten their alert level, secure all places of worships and public places at once, and initiate pro-active security measures to thwart hostile plans,” Lorenzana said.
प्रतिक्रिया लेख्नुहोस्:-