In a tragic and devastating incident at a Marwari church in the southern Philippines, four lives were lost and around 50 individuals sustained injuries in a bomb attack believed to have been orchestrated by ISIS. The attack occurred during the commencement of the service's prayers, leading to a chaotic evacuation as eyewitnesses detailed the explosion within the church.
Marwari, previously a battleground in 2017, witnessed fierce clashes between Philippine security forces and the local ISIS branch. The city, home to approximately 200,000 people, saw the expulsion of several hundred ISIS fighters by the army during that period.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attributed the explosion to "foreign terrorists," underscoring the deliberate targeting of the Catholic church during mass. The bomb detonated during a morning service at the gymnasium of Mindanao State University. Police Lieutenant General Emmanuel raised the possibility of a link to recent military operations against ISIS, suggesting a potential retaliatory motive.
Photographs shared on the Lanao del Sur provincial government's Facebook page depicted a scene of devastation, with overturned plastic chairs, shattered glass, and debris surrounding a darkened area on the gymnasium floor. From his hospital bed, 21-year-old university student Chris Jurado recounted that the explosion unfolded during the initial Bible reading of the Saturday morning mass at 7 am.
This tragic incident underscores the ongoing threat of extremist violence in the region and the vulnerability of places of worship to such attacks. The community mourns the lives lost and prays for the swift recovery of those injured in this senseless act of violence. Authorities are actively investigating the incident to bring those responsible to justice and prevent further occurrences in the future.