Three killed, nine injured as explosion rocks Catholic church during mass in Philippines

Three people have been killed and nine wounded in an explosion at a Catholic Mass in the Philippines.

According to the BBC, the incident occurred in a gymnasium at the Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi on Sunday morning.

In 2017, the city was the scene of a five-month battle between government forces and militants with links to the Islamic State.

The university said it was “deeply saddened and appalled” by the “senseless and horrific” violence.

“Violence has no place in a civilized society, and it is particularly abhorrent in an institution of higher learning like MSU,” it said.

“We stand in solidarity with our Christian community and all those affected by this tragedy.”

The university added that additional security staff had been deployed on its campus and that all academic activities would be suspended until further notice.