Philippines: Bomb signals more death and destruction for troubled country
At least 19 people including two children are now known to have died in the bomb blast at Davao airport in the Philippines.
More than 150 were injured when the bomb exploded in a crowded rain shelter at the airport; three Americans are known to have been seriously injured in the blast, with one of them killed, though it is unclear at this stage whether they were in the country as tourists.
The bomb was hidden in a rucksack and went off shortly after the arrival of a flight, with much of the airport crowded. Much of the Philippines has recently been hit by violence, though the largely-Christian city of Davao – the country’s second-largest – has escaped much of the trouble.
The blast came shortly after an agreement that US troops will join Philippine military units fighting Abu Sayyaf, the Moslem extremist organisation that has been linked by many to the al-Qa’ida terror network.
Anyone heading for the country should be aware that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises visitors to take extreme care, while large parts of the country are effectively off-limits for travellers. For the latest advice visit www.fco.gov.uk/travel.
