Eight killed in explosion on southern Philippine island

An explosion inside a grocery shop killed at least eight people and wounded about a dozen others today on a violent southern island in the Philippines.

The explosion took place in Jolo town on Jolo island, about 590 miles south-east of Manila, said police Senior Superintendent Ajiron Ajirim. It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the blast, he said.

The island is a stronghold of the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels.

Philippine police and US troops who took part in recent counterterrorism exercises were seen in the area shortly after the explosion.