Two killed in mosque grenade attack

At least two people were killed and 30 others were wounded when an unidentified man tossed two hand grenades inside a southern Philippine mosque packed with worshippers.

The two explosions rocked the mosque, inside a government compound in North Cotabato province’s Midsayap town, as the mostly male worshippers were in the middle of their noontime prayers, Police Chief Inspector Eduardo Marquez said.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack.

One of the dead was National Irrigation Administration regional director Macmud Mending, and other NIA regional officials were among the seriously wounded.

The mosque is located inside the NIA compound in Midsayap town’s Villarica village, about 550 miles southeast of Manila, but is open to both NIA employees and outsiders.

Marquez said the safety pins of the two fragmentation grenades were recovered near the door of the mosque.