Blast in Philippines 'kills 12'

There are reports that a bomb has exploded in a crowded market in the southern Philippines killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 20.

The dead are thought to include the suspected bomber who left a package which exploded in a motorcycle cab in Koronadal City on the island of Mindanao.

The bomb, consisting of an 81mm mortar and a timing device, went off in front of the market, scattering bloody body parts, army commander Colonel Agustin Dima-ala said, according to AFP news agency.

The Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been blamed for the attack, an accusation the group's spokesman Eid Kabalu denied.

Talks on hold

The Philippines Government on Tuesday scrapped planned peace talks with the MILF following recent attacks in the region.

A further blow was dealt to the peace negotiations, when the government's chief negotiator Jesus Dureza resigned, saying the job required someone who could spend more time on the process.

Last Sunday, 28 people died in an attack by the rebels on Siocon, a remote, predominantly Christian town also on Mindanao island.