MANILA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- An airstrike on Islamist militants holed up in the southern Philippine city of Marawi mistakenly killed two soldiers and wounded 11 others on Wednesday, a military spokesman said.
This has been the second accident involving a military aircraft hitting soldiers on the ground since the conflict in Marawi started in May.
The air force's public affairs chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said in a statement that a military bomber missed its target during an airstrike around noontime Wednesday and the ordnance hit buildings near the soldiers' position.
Citing initial report from ground commanders in Marawi City, Arevalo said "the bomb was 250 meters off target."
"The impact of the explosion caused the collapse of nearby structures. Large debris from heavily reinforced buildings accidentally hit the two of our personnel who succumbed to death in the process," he said.
Arevalo said the 11 wounded "are ambulatory" and are recuperating in the hospital.
Read the full story at Xinhua