At least two people have been killed and six others injured in a bomb blast that occurred next to a bus station in the northern Philippines' municipality of Tulunan in the Cotabato Province, CCN Philippines reported on Wednesday, citing Tulunan Mayor Michael Limbungan.
According to the official, the bomb, which was planted in a ticket booth, exploded at about 12 p.m. [04:00 GMT] as a bus arrived to pick up passengers.
The mayor said that the perpetrators of the attack allegedly headed to the autonomous region of Bangsamoro to the east of Tulunan.
"As per our information the perpetrators are going to Ligwasan Marsh heading to Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao," Limbungan said, as quoted by CNN Philippines.
The official added that the security services initiated an investigation into the incident.
Bangsamoro autonomous region is the headquarters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front terrorist group that was formed in 1969 on the back of the ethnic cleansing of Moro nationals allegedly committed by the Philippines' armed forces.
The group proclaimed the aim of reaching the independence of Bangsamoro, and the front's members started to commit terrorist attacks throughout the Philippines to achieve their political goals. Though a number of rebels joined the government security forces following the signature of the 2014 peace agreement, others did not abandon radical practices. (/Sputnik)
( With inputs from ANI )
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