Five killed in southern Philippines roadside bombing

[News_Editor]

Five killed in southern Philippines roadside bombing

2011-03-10 22:55:18 GMT+7 (ICT)

JOLO, PHILIPPINES (BNO NEWS) -- Five people were killed and eight more wounded when a bomb exploded near a school during rush hour on Thursday afternoon in the southern Filipino town of Jolo, the Mindanao Examiner reported.

Police said the bomber left an improvised explosive on the sidewalk near the building that housed the Department of Education. According to the military, two of the five deaths occurred at the scene and three died while being treated in a nearby hospital.

Army Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, a regional military spokesman, said several motorcycle taxis near the explosion site were destroyed by the powerful blast and that it also damaged a school nearby, according to the Mindanao Examiner.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the bombing coincided with military operations against two ruthless leaders of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group in Zamboanga City.

 The mayor of Jolo, Hussin Amin, did not answer phone calls from journalists, but the town had been previously attacked by the Abu Sayyaf, blamed by authorities to the spate of kidnappings and terrorism.

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