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11 killed by car bomb in Basilan
 [Mindanao Examiner] Eleven people were killed when a car bomb exploded Tuesday morning at a security checkpoint after government militias stopped a suspicious vehicle in Lamitan City in the southern Philippine province of Basilan. The powerful blast obliterated the vehicle and left a huge crater. Among those killed were a woman and a child. Five soldiers were injured in the explosion.The bodies of those killed in the blast were all scattered around the checkpoint in Bulanting village, about 2 kilometers from downtown Lamitan. Three goats grazing from a nearby field also died from the explosion which can be heard from as far as five kilometers away. It is not known how many people were inside the van, but a media report said among the passengers was believed to be a foreign terrorist. It said the terrorists came from a nearby town and heading to downtown Lamitan when they were stopped at the checkpoint after the passengers could not speak the local dialect or answer questions asked by the militia. Minutes later the explosion occurred. Among those killed in the explosion was the militia commander whose unit is under the supervision of the Philippine Army. It was not immediately known how many civilians were wounded in the blast. The province is a known stronghold of the militant group Abu Sayyaf whose leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Several foreign fighters had been killed in clashes with soldiers in Basilan in recent years. Recently, troops and policemen foiled a bombing attempt in southern Tacurong City after a civilian discovered an improvised explosive along a street and immediately informed authorities about it. Security officials blamed the failed attack on the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and tagged two fighters Brah Lumambas and Bohari Adam, both bomb-makers under militant leader Gani Saligan, as behind the attempt. Posted by: ryuge 2018-08-01 |
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