7 soldiers wounded in South Philippine bombing

Seven government soldiers were wounded Wednesday in a roadside bombing in the southern Philippine province of Maguindanao, a military commander said. According to Maj. Gen. Romeo Gapuz, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, the soldiers were attacked while they were on board a military vehicle, on their way back to their camp in Rajah Buayan town. Gapuz said they have yet to identify the perpetrators of the explosion. A number of armed groups are known to operate in the province, including the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement. Asked if the BIFM is a suspect in the blast, Gapuz said he is not immediately blaming the group which has launched a number of attacks in the region during the past weeks. "Anybody can plan that (improvised bomb). Until such time we are able to establish the composition of the IED that exploded, we cannot pinpoint anybody," he said.