Militants bomb telecom tower in S Philippines

COTABATO, Philippines, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Suspected Al-Qaida affiliated militants bombed on Wednesday night a telecommunication tower in the restive southern Philippine province of Sulu, police said on Thursday.

Chief Supt. Paisal Umpa, regional police commander, said the cell site of Smart Company was destroyed and mobile communications and Internet service were cut off after the attack around 10:30 p.m. in the township of Indanan.

Umpa said no one was hurt in the attack.

Hours before the incident, the militants had also bombed a bridge in nearby village of Bato-bato of the same town.

"It had been bombed before and the military repaired it. Now the bridge is not passable to vehicles," the police official said.

The military has stepped up offensives against the Abu Sayyaf after it released three international Red Cross officials after months of abduction.

The group, blacklisted by Washington as a foreign terrorist organization, is considered a major security threat to the Philippines and the region. It has been engaged in kidnappings, bombings and even beheadings in the South over the past decade.