Twin explosions during Sunday Mass in Philippines church: Killing 27 people and Dozens Injured

During a Sunday Mass, two bombs burst out in a Roman Catholic Church on a southern Philippine island where Muslim activists are active. This blast leads to killing at least 27 people and wounding more than 80 people.

A security officials said that the first bomb blast in or near the Jolo church in the local capital, followed by another second blast exterior of the complex as government militaries were countering to the attack.

Police and military reports stated that at least 27 people died in the blast, together with five troops and lots of numbers of people were injured.

The witnesses of the blast said that the first blast dispersed the wooden benches inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and bursted window glass panes. While on the other hand, the second bomb tossed human remains and wreckage across a town square facing the church.

Jolo island from a long time has been bothered by the existence of Abu Sayyaf activists, who are boycotted by the United States and the Philippines as a terrorist group for the reason of years of bombings, kidnappings and executions. No one has instantly claimed accountability.

The attack approached just about a week after minority Muslims in the largely Roman Catholic nation recommended a new self-governing area in the southern Philippines in confidences of windup almost five decades of a nationalist rebellion that has left 1,50,000 people dead.

Even though maximum of the Muslim areas accepted it but the electorates in Sulu area, where Jolo is located, overruled it. The region is home to an opposing rebel group that’s opposite to the contract as well as the Abu Sayyaf association, which is not part of any peace and harmony practice.

Western governments have greeted the self-government agreement. They concern that minor numbers of Islamic State allied activists from the Middle East and Southeast Asia may possibly counterfeit an association with Filipino rebels and try the south into a upbringing ground for terrorists.

Yousef Al-Othaimeen, who is the general secretary of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation, at Sunday’s terrorist attack has also conveyed his deep outrage.

He says the OIC definitely discards all practices of violence, radicalism and terrorism, whatsoever their sources or reasons.

Salvador Panelo, who is the President Rodrigo Duterte’s Spokesman stated the blast as the act of terrorism and guaranteed that government militaries will chase the committers of the attack and will give them the right punishment for their act.

He said, “The Armed Forces of the Philippines will rise to the challenge and crush these godless criminals”.