The Islamic State terrorist group reportedly released a statement on its Telegram channels saying it had detonated the bomb.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, popularly known as ISIS, has reportedly claimed responsibility for the deadly bomb attack that rocked a Catholic mass in the Philippines where at least four people were killed, while over 50 others were injured.
Daily Mail reports that the regional police Chief, Allan Nobleza, said that the attack happened during a regular service at Mindanao State University’s gymnasium in Marawi, the country’s largest Muslim city.
The Islamic State terrorist group reportedly released a statement on its Telegram channels saying it had detonated the bomb.
Police Lieutenant General, Emmanuel Peralta, said that more than 50 people were wounded and hospitalised by the attack.
The country’s police and military have beefed up security in the south and around the capital.
Lt. Gen Peralta told a press conference fragments of a 16-mm mortar were recovered at the scene.
Earlier, before ISIS claimed responsibility for the blast, Philippines President, Ferdinand Marcos, described the attack as “the senseless and most heinous acts perpetrated by foreign terrorists.”
Photos posted on the Lanao del Sur government’s Facebook page showed several overturned plastic chairs and debris around a black patch on the floor of the gymnasium.
A 21-year-old university student, Chris Jurado, told local media from his hospital bed that the explosion happened during the first Bible reading of the morning mass at 7.00am local time.
Jurado was quoted as saying that “It was really sudden and everyone ran.
“When I looked behind me people were lying on the floor. We didn’t know what happened because everything happened so fast.”
Also, 19-year-old Rowena Mae Fernandez, said from hospital that she did not know what the blast was at first, then others started running, “My companion and I also ran, even though we fell on the ground at one point. That was the only thing I remembered until I got out of the gym and I fell again.”
“My friends were crying because they saw my injury,” Fernandez added.
Pope Francis reportedly offered prayers for victims during his Sunday address in Rome and in a separate written message appealed to “Christ the prince of peace (to) grant to all the strength to turn from violence and overcome every evil with good.”
Military chief, General Romeo Brawner, said the bombing may have been a revenge attack for military operations against three Islamist militant groups, Dawlah Islamiyah-Philippines, Abu Sayyaf and Maute in western Mindanao in recent days.
Brawner said at a press conference “That [a revenge attack] is one angle we are looking into.
“Based on the evidence that we gathered there is a big percentage that points to the Maute-ISIS.”
Pro-Islamic State Maute and Abu Sayyaf militants, including foreign and local fighters held Marawi under siege in 2017.
The Philippine military wrested back the ruined city after a five-month battle that claimed more than 1,000 lives.
Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro told reporters that “There are strong indications of a foreign element (in Sunday’s attack).”
Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Sur are part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The country’s Muslim minority were given self-rule in Bangsamoro under former president Rodrigo Duterte as part of efforts to head off the lure of violent extremism.
Militant attacks on buses, Catholic churches and public markets have been a feature of decades-long unrest in the region.
Manila signed a peace pact with the nation’s largest rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, in 2014, ending their deadly armed rebellion.
But smaller bands of Muslim fighters opposed to the peace deal remain, including militants professing allegiance to the Islamic State group. Communist rebels also operate in the region.
Mindanao State University issued a statement condemning “the act of violence”, as it suspended classes and deployed more security personnel on the campus.
The university said, “We stand in solidarity with our Christian community and all those affected by this tragedy.”
Marawi city Mayor, Majul Gandamra, urged members of the Muslim and Christian communities to remain united.
Gandamra in a statement condemning the attack said, “Our city has long been a beacon of peaceful coexistence and harmony, and we will not allow such acts of violence to overshadow our collective commitment to peace and unity.”