At least 75 soldiers, police and civilians were wounded in the midday bombings in Jolo town in southern Sulu province, regional military commander Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan said. “It was a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device which exploded while our soldiers were on a marketing run,” Vinluan told reporters. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, but the military blamed an Abu Sayyaf militant commander, Mundi Sawadjaan, who has been linked to suicide bombings in recent years in Sulu. Military officials said last week that Sawadjaan had plotted bombings in Sulu using two female suicide attackers. He reportedly surrendered through a Muslim rebel chief who has signed a peace deal and was cooperating with the government.

Source: ABC News August 24, 2020 06:14 UTC