ZAMBOANGA CITY – Unidentified gunmen shot two municipal mayors of Basilan province outside a mosque in a daring attack Monday morning in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines, reports said.
It said Akbar Mayor Alih Awal Sali and Al-Barka Mayor Darussalam Saguindilan Lajid were rushed to hospital. Lajid and Sali’s escort Barad Nuruddin died in the attack.
Police have not released any statement, but reports said at least four gunmen were involved in the shooting which occurred in the seaside village of Baliwasan.
Police recovered from the scene several bullet shells fired from .45-caliber pistols, but the identities of the attackers and the motive of the shooting were unknown. The gunmen escaped in the labyrinth neighborhood leading to the seashore.
It was unknown whether the twin attacks were political in nature, but the shooting came ahead of the local and national elections next year. The victims’ families and relatives have yet to issue a statement.
It was unclear what Sali and Lajid were doing in the village which is a favorite landing site of boats coming from the province, just several nautical miles away from Zamboanga.
One Netizen, Umm Mohammad Rayyan, who commented on a Facebook post of the shootings, wrote: “INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAYHI RAJIUN Mayor Darus ng Albarka Basilan Binaril mismo sa Lugar namin sa likod ng Mosque namin 5 shot sa ulo. Sana Mka ligtas c Mayor Alih.”
No individual or
group claimed responsibility for the attacks. (Mindanao Examiner)
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