Suicide attack on Philippine army camp kills three soldiers

Three soldiers were killed Friday when two suspectedIslamist militants detonated bombs at the entrance of an army camp inthe southern Philippines, also killing themselves, the military said. Twelve soldiers were wounded in the attack on the camp in Indanantown in Sulu province, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, said MajorArvin Encinas, a regional military spokesman.The camp was the headquarters of the army's 1st Brigade Combat Team,which was recently deployed to Sulu to help neutralize the Abu Sayyafterrorist group, the most violent jihadist organization in thesouthern Philippines."This attack is meant to disrupt the [military's] intensifiedsecurity operations and our operational tempo following [a] series ofrecent operational gains in the area," said army spokesman LieutenantColonel Ramon Zagala said.Encinas said the first bomber was accosted at the gate of the campupon inspection, but was still able to detonate the explosive."The other bomber was able to enter the gate and was also able todetonate [the second improvised explosive device]," he added. "Thesecond explosion happened less than a minute after."Investigators were still determining the type of explosives used inthe attack and the identities of the bombers, but authorities werenot discounting the possibility that the Abu Sayyaf was behind thebombing, Encinas said.The attack occurred as a new regional military commander, MajorGeneral Cirilito Sobejana, took his post in nearby Zamboanga City. "We will intensify our offensives to crush terrorist groups thathamper the stability and development in Sulu, ensuring that allactions are in accordance with the law," he added.The Abu Sayyaf is believed to be allied with the Islamic Stateterrorist network and has been blamed for some of the worst terroristattacks in the country as well as high-profile kidnappings for ransomand beheadings.