Eight people were killed and more than 50 injured when two Taliban suicide bombers attacked churches in Pakistan Sunday, sparking mob violence in which two other suspected militants died.
The bombings occurred during prayers at two churches located around half a kilometre apart in the Youhanabad district of Lahore city that is home to more than 100,000 Christians, officials said.
Doctor Mohammad Saeed Sohbin, medical superintendent of the nearby General Hospital, told AFP: "We have received 10 dead bodies and 52 injured."
He said some of the injured had burn injuries while others had been shot.
Nabila Ghazanfar, a police spokeswoman, said two of the dead were beaten to death by an angry mob, six were Christians and two were policemen who had been on guard duty.
"Policemen on duty at both the entrances tried to stop them but the bombers blew themselves up," she told AFP.
"The angry mob protesting after the blast beat to death two people whom they suspected of being associates of the attackers."
An AFP photographer saw the bodies of the two suspected militants on fire after the beating. It was not clear whether they were still alive at the time.
The Pakistani Taliban's Jamaat-ul-Ahrar faction described the blasts as suicide attacks and vowed to continue their campaign for the enforcement of Sharia Islamic law, in an emailed statement.
- Rising anger -
Christians make up around two percent of Pakistan's mainly Muslim population of 180 million. They have been targeted in attacks and riots in recent years, often over allegations of profanity regarding the Koran or the Prophet Mohammed.
Sunday's attack was the worst on the community since a devastating double suicide bombing in the northwestern city of Peshawar in 2013 killed 82 people, sparking a fresh wave of anger at the government for failing to offer enough protection.
Dozens of protesters clashed with police Sunday, attacking their cars with stones and sticks, as women wept and beat their heads and chests.
Broken window panes, blood and shoes were scattered across the blast sites.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif issued a statement condemning the attacks and "directed provincial governments to ensure the security of public and their properties".
The attack was the first carried out by the Taliban since three of their major factions said on Thursday they had reunited.
Pakistan's military has stepped up its fight against militants since Taliban gunmen massacred more than 150 people, most of them children, at a school in Peshawar in December.
A moratorium on executions in terror cases was lifted and the constitution was amended to set up military courts for the speedy trial of terrorism cases.
Eight people were killed and more than 50 injured when two Taliban suicide bombers attacked churches in Pakistan Sunday, sparking mob violence in which two other suspected militants died.
The bombings occurred during prayers at two churches located around half a kilometre apart in the Youhanabad district of Lahore city that is home to more than 100,000 Christians, officials said.
Doctor Mohammad Saeed Sohbin, medical superintendent of the nearby General Hospital, told AFP: “We have received 10 dead bodies and 52 injured.”
He said some of the injured had burn injuries while others had been shot.
Nabila Ghazanfar, a police spokeswoman, said two of the dead were beaten to death by an angry mob, six were Christians and two were policemen who had been on guard duty.
“Policemen on duty at both the entrances tried to stop them but the bombers blew themselves up,” she told AFP.
“The angry mob protesting after the blast beat to death two people whom they suspected of being associates of the attackers.”
An AFP photographer saw the bodies of the two suspected militants on fire after the beating. It was not clear whether they were still alive at the time.
The Pakistani Taliban’s Jamaat-ul-Ahrar faction described the blasts as suicide attacks and vowed to continue their campaign for the enforcement of Sharia Islamic law, in an emailed statement.
– Rising anger –
Christians make up around two percent of Pakistan’s mainly Muslim population of 180 million. They have been targeted in attacks and riots in recent years, often over allegations of profanity regarding the Koran or the Prophet Mohammed.
Sunday’s attack was the worst on the community since a devastating double suicide bombing in the northwestern city of Peshawar in 2013 killed 82 people, sparking a fresh wave of anger at the government for failing to offer enough protection.
Dozens of protesters clashed with police Sunday, attacking their cars with stones and sticks, as women wept and beat their heads and chests.
Broken window panes, blood and shoes were scattered across the blast sites.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif issued a statement condemning the attacks and “directed provincial governments to ensure the security of public and their properties”.
The attack was the first carried out by the Taliban since three of their major factions said on Thursday they had reunited.
Pakistan’s military has stepped up its fight against militants since Taliban gunmen massacred more than 150 people, most of them children, at a school in Peshawar in December.
A moratorium on executions in terror cases was lifted and the constitution was amended to set up military courts for the speedy trial of terrorism cases.
