The site of the bomb blasts at the newly-established camp of the 1st Brigade Combat Team in Indanan, Sulu. (Photo by JULIE ALIPALA / Inquirer Mindanao)
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Islamic State militants have claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks on Friday at a military camp in Indanan, Sulu that killed eight persons — three of them soldiers — and wounded 22 others.
The U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group, which that monitors online communications among Muslim militant groups globally, reported that the IS East Asia Province had issued a statement claiming responsibility for the explosions hours after bombers attacked a military camp in Jolo.
“Following IS East Asia Province claim responsibility for a two-man suicide raid in Sulu, Filipino Jihadists took to Facebook to discuss the attack, best areas to conduct operations and how to join the group,” the SITE cited.
The fatalities included the two bombers along with three civilians and three soldiers.
The two bombers, both of whom were blown into pieces by the blasts, remained unidentified.
Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the newly installed chief of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), confirmed on Saturday that two bombers carried out the attack at the newly established command post of the 1st Brigade Combat Team (1st BCT).
He identified the slain soldiers as Pfc. Dominique C. Inte of Upper Sicpao, Sominot, Zamboanga del Sur; Pfc. Recarte D. Alban Jr. of Dimataling, Zamboanga del Sur; and Cpl. Richard P. Macabadbad of Payatas, Fairview, Quezon City.
He said three civilians who were near the BCT gate were killed in the explosions.
They were Basar M Abdul, 32, a sari-sari store owner and resident of Barangay Kajatian; Dawili Julhumar Alamara, 29, tricycle driver and resident of Barangay Kajatian; and Mhudrigal A. Jamasali, 35, a tricycle driver also from Kajatian.
Twelve other government troops and 10 civilians were wounded in the attack at the entrance of the camp of the 1st BCT, which was set up only last month at Barangay Kajatian of Indanan, the town bounding Jolo, the economic center of Sulu province.
Of the wounded civilians, only three are still confined at the provincial hospital in Jolo, said Maj. Arvin Encinas, Westmincom spokesperson.
In a separate interview by phone on Saturday, Encinas said they were still trying to figure out the group behind the attack.
(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)