20 dead, 71 wounded as twin blasts target cathedral in southern Philippines
- The first bomb went off at the Jolo cathedral in the provincial capital, followed by a second blast outside as government forces responded
- The island is a base of the Islamist militant group Abu Sayyaf, which is blamed for the worst terror attacks in the nation’s history
Two bombs minutes apart tore through a Roman Catholic cathedral on a southern Philippine island where Muslim militants are active, killing at least 20 people and wounding 81 others during a Sunday mass, officials said.
Witnesses said the first blast inside the Jolo cathedral in the provincial capital sent worshippers, some of them wounded, to stampede out of the main door. Soldiers and police posted outside were rushing in when the second bomb went off about one minute later near the main entrance, causing more deaths and injuries. The military was checking a report that the second explosive device may have been attached to a parked motorcycle.
The initial explosion scattered the wooden pews inside the main hall and shattered windows. The second bomb hurled human remains and debris across a town square in front of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, witnesses said. Mobile phone signals were cut off in the hours after the attack.
Police corrected an earlier toll due to double counting. The fatalities included 15 civilians and five troops. Among the wounded were 14 troops, two police and 65 civilians.
