30 killed as militants attack worship places in Lahore, Pakistan
LAHORE. May 28. KAZINFORM At least 30 people were killed and 41 others were injured on Friday when two groups of unknown militants attacked two worship places almost simultaneously in eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, witnesses and TV channels reported; Kazinform refers to Xinhua.
The attacks were carried out at Garhi Shahu and Model Town Block C areas of Lahore, the capital of Punjab Province.
The militants, wearing jackets and holding hand grenades, entered the worship places of a religious group Ahmadi, declared non-Muslims in Pakistani in early 1970s, and held hundreds of worshipers as hostages in Garhi Shahu, witnesses said.
Both worships places are at 15 km distance. Witnesses said that the attacks started shortly after prayers.
Police said that security forces had completed the operation at Model Town and killed five militants. Twenty-three people were reportedly killed and several injured in the attack at this place as seven terrorists attacked the worship place.
Two suicide bombers also said to detonate their explosives in Model Town.
The shootouts between the gunmen and police are underway in Garhi Shahu. "A large number of anti-terror police, backed by armored vehicles, rushed to the sites and exchanged fire with the militants," a local resident told Xinhua; Kazinform cites Xinhua.
See www.xinhuanet.com/english2010/