OREANDA-NEWS. At least 9 people were killed and 17 were injured as a result of two explosions in the town of Jolo located in the southern part of the Philippines.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the first explosion took place at about noon near a grocery store, and the second one thundered an hour later next to a church located 70 meters from the site of the first incident.

The Straight Times newspaper reports that the first explosion occurred near an army truck parked in front of an office building in a town square. As a result, five servicemen were killed.

A spokesman for the military special forces of the province of Sulu, Captain Rex Payot, said that the soldiers were helping local authorities coordinating the fight against the spread of coronavirus infection.