MANILA, Philippines (AP) Suspected Muslim rebels opposed to peace talks with the Philippine government detonated a bomb Sunday that wounded a soldier in the country's south, the military said.
Army troops safely defused a second bomb at the scene of the attack in Datu Paglas town in Maguindanao province, said regional military spokesman Col. Dickson Hermoso. Police briefly closed a main road to traffic as troops searched for more explosives.
Authorities suspect a Muslim rebel faction opposed to peace talks between the government and the main Moro Islamic Liberation Front staged the attack as part of efforts to disrupt the negotiations for a new autonomy deal for minority Muslims in the south.
Government and guerrilla negotiators will try to conclude talks on power sharing and rebel disarmament when the talks resume Tuesday in Malaysia.
