An al-Qaeda-linked militant group on Saturday bombed a bridge often used by the military on a southern Philippine island where a U.S.-backed offensive against the group has so far failed, a military spokesman said.
It was the third bridge bombing in the past month on Jolo island, a poor, predominantly Muslim region in the largely Roman Catholic country. No one was hurt.
Regional military commander Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino blamed the Abu Sayyaf militant group.
No one was hurt in the blast which damaged one of the two lanes of the Lagtoh Bridge, which carries traffic to and from the provincial capital, regional military spokesman Maj. Ramon David Hontiveros said.
“This is another despicable act of economic sabotage,” he said.
The Abu Sayyaf blew up another bridge often used by the military in nearby Indanan township late last month. The group bombed the same bridge again Thursday after losing three fighters in a clash with Philippine troops.
