Twin explosions kill 15, wound scores in south of Philippines

Twin explosions killed at least 15 people and wounded 75 others in a town on a restive island in the southern Philippines on Monday.

Two explosions, believed to be homemade bombs, were triggered within one hour of each other in the main urban centre on the island of Jolo, a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf militant group.

The military said the first blast happened around noon on Monday, when a homemade bomb in a motorcycle was triggered close to two parked army trucks, killing soldiers and civilians.

As police and army surveyed the scene, a suicide bomber tried to breach a cordon and detonated her device, killing herself and several others.

In total, eight members of the security forces, six civilians and the bomber were killed and 27 security personnel and 48 civilians were wounded in the attacks on Jolo, one of a chain of mainly Muslim islands in the southwest of the majority Roman Catholic country.

Lieutenant Colonel Ronaldo Mateo, a military spokesman, said the bomb was attached to a parked motorcycle.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility and police said an investigation was underway.