This photo taken on September 5, 2016 shows Philippine soldiers standing guard next to an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) inside a military camp in Jolo, Sulu province on the southern island of Mindanao. Photo: MARK NAVALES / AFP
Twin explosions rocked the southern Philippine province of Sulu on Monday morning, August 24, leaving at least 11 people dead and dozens more injured. According to Associated Press, at least 11 soldiers and civilians were killed in the blast. Local officials said that nearly 40 people were wounded. The Philippine National Police confirmed that the blast occurred at 11:53 a.m. in the Jolo town plaza in front of a cathedral that was also bombed in 2019. Police said that they are still working to identify the suspects involved.
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A motorcycle loaded with an improvised explosive device detonated near a military truck, the military said.The Philippine Red Cross said that a second explosion occurred at the back of a municipal office.
Ronald Mateo, civil-military relations officer of 11th infantry battalion, told local radio the blast site was a busy commercial area.Mateo said the second bomb was believed to have been detonated by a female “suicide bomber.” The town of Jolo has been placed on a strict lockdown as recommended by the Sulu provincial crisis management team, he added.
The Philippine Coast Guard has placed southwestern Mindanao under high alert following the blasts.A pharmacy owner near the blast site told The Philippine Daily Inquirer that they heard a “deafening sound” that prompted them to close up shop.Condemning the attack, the Philippine presidential office has asked the public to remain vigilant. “We condemn in the strongest possible terms the explosion incidents in Jolo, Sulu, today, which left scores dead and wounded, including soldiers. We likewise express condolences to the families and loved ones of those who died in these tragic incidents,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.The Sulu province in the southernmost part of the Philippines is a hotbed for the Abu Sayyaf Group, a local Jihadist militant cell that has allied with the Islamic State.The group has carried out deadly bombings and kidnapping of foreign nationals in the past.
