Pakistani Taliban suicide bombing of churches leaves 14 dead, 80 injured
Taliban in Pakistan claimed responsibility of suicide bombings outside two churches in Lahore killed 14 people and wounded nearly 80 others during services on Sunday in attacks claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban.
Police report that the Sunni terrorists targeted both churches, minutes apart, one Catholic and one Protestant, that are very close to each other in a highly cooordiated attack on Sunday.
Local residents lynched two men they suspected of involvement, a police official said.
While Taliban continue to murder Christians in Pakistan, a retailer in Indonesia sells Taliban shirts
Many Christians accuse the government of doing little to protect them, saying politicians are quick to offer condolences after an attack but slow to take any concrete steps to improve security.
A protest followed which involved protesters smashing up shops and attacking vehicles. Police and several politicians were chased from the scene, residents said.
Witnesses said more bloodshed in the bombings was prevented by security guards and police assigned to the churches. Four died tackling the attackers.
“I was sitting at a shop near the church when a blast jolted the area. I rushed towards the spot and saw the security guard scuffle with a man who was trying to enter the church. After failing, he blew himself up,” witness Amir Masih said in the CT report.
Another witness, Akram Bhatti, said: “I was present outside Christ Church when I saw a young man in his early 20s wearing black clothes. He was stopped by the guard. The attacker exploded the suicide vest.”
