Bomb blast at Philippine shopping centre kills two and wounds dozen of others

The bomb went off near the baggage counter at the entrance of the South Seas mall in Cotabato city. Authorities suspect local Muslim militants

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Police officers investigate the site of the explosion. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:18pm, 31 Dec 2018Updated: 10:47pm, 31 Dec 2018

Suspected Muslim militants remotely detonated a bomb near the entrance of a shopping centre in the southern Philippines on Monday as people were last-minute shopping ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations, killing at least two and wounding nearly 30, officials said.

The bomb went off near the baggage counter at the entrance of the South Seas mall in Cotabato city, wounding shoppers, vendors and commuters. Authorities recovered another unexploded bomb nearby as government forces imposed a security lockdown in the city, military and police officials said.

Debris litters the street outside the mall following the explosion. Photo: AFP

Major General Cirilito Sobejana said by phone that an initial investigation showed the design of the bomb was similar to those used in the past by local Muslim militants who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

Government forces launched an offensive against the militants belonging to a group called Daulah Islamiyah last week and at least seven of the militants died in the fighting, Sobejana said.

“This is a part of the retaliation, but the problem is they’re victimising innocent civilians,” he told reporters.