A grenade attack against a mosque in Zamboanga City is the second bloody attack against a religious institution in southwestern Philippines in less than a week. Photo courtesy Google Maps
Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Two people were killed and four others were injured Tuesday after a grenade was lobbed into a mosque in the Philippine city of Zamboanga, the second attack against a religious institution in southwestern Mindanao in less than a week.
Around 12 a.m. local time, a grenade was thrown into a Zamboanga City mosque where around 10 religious leaders from Basilan and nearby provinces were sleeping, said Zamboanga police director Thomas Joseph Martir, ABS-CBN News reported.
The two men died due to the severity of their injuries while the two suspects fled on foot, Martir said.
The injured were transported to Zamboanga City Medical Centre and are in stable condition.
The motive and the identity of the suspects are still unknown, Zamboanga police chief superintendent Emmanuel Luis Licup told CNN Philippines.
The grenade blast comes four days after two bombs exploded near a Roman Catholic cathedral on Jolo Island, some 90 miles from Zamboanga, that killed at least 27 people and injured around 90 others.
Islamic State-linked terrorist group Abu Sayyaf has been blamed for the attack.
On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the military to conduct an airstrike against the group.
"Our all-out war against the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf is continuous. The order from the president is to pulverize the Abu Sayyaf," Western Mindanao Command Col. Gerry Besana said, ABS-CBN News reported.
However, there is not enough evidence to speculate that the two attacks are connected, said Licup.
A pin from a grenade was discovered at the scene, Philstar Global reported.
Since the attack Zamboanga police have been on high alert and a task force has set up checkpoint throughout the city, Manila Bulletin reported.
