Pakistan Mosque Attacks in Lahore Kill Scores

Gunmen have launched simultaneous raids on two mosques of the minority Ahmadi Islamic sect in Lahore, killing more than 80 people, Pakistani police say.

The attackers fired guns and threw grenades at worshippers during Friday prayers. Three militants later blew themselves up with suicide vests, reports BBC News. Police were searching for at least two militants who managed to flee the scene.

Pakistani forces have secured both buildings, but are still searching for militants who fled the scene. Lahore has been the scene of a string of brazen attacks.

It is unclear who carried out the attacks, but suspicion has fallen on the Pakistani Taliban, Ali Dayan Hassan of Human Rights Watch told the BBC. He said the worshippers were "easy targets" for militant Sunni groups who consider the Ahmadis to be infidels.

Police said several attackers held people hostage briefly inside the mosque in the heavily built-up Garhi Shahu area. Some took up positions on top of the minarets, and fired assault rifles at police engaged in gunfights with militants below.

Police took control of the other mosque in the nearby Model Town area after a two-hour gunfight. Gunmen opened fire indiscriminately at the mosque, before security forces managed to kill one militant and capture two others.

They were said to be armed with AK-47 rifles, shotguns and grenades.