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Saturday October 6, 1:43 AMChild killed, 32 injured in southern Philippine bombings
The bombings occurred within minutes of each other in Kidapawan City on Mindanao island. The first bomb exploded under a minibus on a crowded street in the commercial district of the city. Minutes later another bomb, planted by the roadside, exploded nearby, local brigade army commander colonel Pedro Soria told AFP. He said the bombings happened during the rush hour and those injured were mainly students who were on their way home. The military divisional commander, major general Raymundo Ferrer, told AFP that a suspect was "now in custody (who) was seen running away from the minibus seconds before it exploded." Ferrer said it was too early to say who was behind the bombings, adding "terrorism or extortion" have not been ruled out. Neither the police nor the military could say exactly how many people were injured in each of the bombings. At the scene of the first explosion, children could be heard crying as rubber slippers and broken glass littered the area. A small crater remained where the bomb went off, an eyewitness said, without giving his name. "The first blast was so powerful, people started to run away but ran straight into the second bomb," causing more injuries and the death of one eight-year-old girl, one stunned survivor said. "The blast was so powerful, the minibus was lifted up into the air," another survivor said. Ferrer said it was unclear which blast killed the child. He said the bombs were made of 60-millimetre mortar shells with timing devices. Kidapawan City in the province of Cotabato is a favorite tourist destination near the majestic Mount Apo, the country's highest peak. In January two people were injured in a bombing in the city believed to have been the work of Islamic militants. The latest attacks came as the military hunts down Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah rebels on the nearby islands of Jolo and Basilan. Both groups are said to be linked to Al-Qaeda. The bombings also occurred as government peace negotiators hinted Friday that a new round of talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the main separatist group in the south, may take place later this month. |
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