ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Gunmen and suicide bombers stormed two mosques belonging to a minority sect during Friday Prayer in Lahore, seizing hostages and killing at least 70 worshipers and wounding 78, the city coordinating officer said.

More than three hours after the attacks began, the police took control of the mosques, where they found bodies strewn across the main floors and verandas, the coordinating officer, Sajjad Dhutta, said.



At one of the mosques dozens of men survived by scurrying down a narrow passage and then hiding in the basement as the ordeal unfolded, said Abdul Salam Arshad, 56, a retired civil servant who was in the mosque and emerged unscathed.


At one of the mosques dozens of men survived by scurrying down a narrow passage and then hiding in the basement as the ordeal unfolded, said Abdul Salam Arshad, 56, a retired civil servant who was in the mosque and emerged unscathed.


“Suddenly at the start of the sermon, six or seven people came in,” Mr. Arshad said. “Some threw grenades and entered the main hall shooting. We could hear it going on above us.”



The attacks, which took place within minutes of each other at the mosques located a few miles apart, were clearly aimed at the Ahmadi community, which considers itself Muslim but is severely discriminated against under Pakistani law. [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] does not recognize the Ahmadi sect as part of Islam.



Geo TV, a leading news channel in Pakistan, reported that members of the Punjab branch of the Pakistani Taliban were claiming responsibility for the attacks. The Punjab branch is composed mainly of formerly state-sponsored sectarian groups, including Lashkar-e-Jangvi and Jaish-e-Mohammed, which have joined forces with the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].





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