Islamic State claims bombing that killed five on Jolo island in southern Philippines
- Suspected suicide blast blew roof off the sentry gate of a military, according to photographs of the aftermath shown on local television
Police in the Philippines have boosted security in Manila following a bombing at a military camp in the country’s troubled south, an official said on Saturday.
Five people were killed and 12 wounded in the attack on an army camp in Indanan town in Sulu province, 1,000km south of the capital, on Friday.
Major General Guillermo Eleazar, director of the National Capital Region Police Office, said all units in Metro Manila had been placed on full alert since Friday night.
"There are no threats detected within the National Capital Region but as a proactive means in response to this terror attack, the entire region is now placed under full alert status," he said.
The military said the kidnap-for-ransom group and IS-affiliate Abu Sayyaf was probably behind the midday blast on the island of Jolo.
Islamic State claimed the bombing was the work of two suicide attackers, according to tweets from Rita Katz, the director of SITE Intelligence Group which monitors extremist activities worldwide.
The Philippines has renewed its campaign against the militants on Jolo this year after a suspected suicide bomber struck the island’s Roman Catholic cathedral in January, killing 21 people.
