Attack targeting Christians kills 70 in Pakistan

Terrorists killed more than 70 and wounded over 300 in a bombing targeting Christians on Easter Sunday in Lahore, Pakistan.

“It was our people who attacked the Christians in Lahore, celebrating Easter,” Ehsanullah Ehsan, a spokesman for the Taliban faction Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, told Reuters. “It’s our message to the government that we will carry out such attacks again until Sharia [law] is imposed in the country.”

The blast occurred near the children’s rides in Gulshan-e-Iqbal park—the city’s largest—where families were outside during the Easter holiday. Families were enjoying a peaceful evening of amusement park rides and other activities when chaos erupted. A suicide bomber rushed into the crowded park, killing dozens instantly. Many of the victims were women and children outside playing or picnicking. Law enforcement’s investigation is ongoing, but some early reports suggest there were more Muslim casualties than Christian ones.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar broke off from the Pakistani Taliban in 2014, but now pledges allegiance to Islamic State (ISIS). This was the group’s fifth bombing since December.

Lahore holds the highest population of Christians in the nation, making it a prime target for ISIS.

Christians make up about 2 percent of the near-200 million people living in Pakistan. Non-Muslims, especially Christians, have little economic or political influence in the country and often complain the government does not do enough to protect them.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack on the Christians in his country.

“Our goal is not only to eliminate terror infrastructure but also the extremist mindset, which is a threat to our way of life,” he said, according to CNN. “We must take this war to the doors of terrorist outfits before they are able to hit our innocent countrymen.”

Ehsan claimed the attack was also a message directed to Sharif pronouncing Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has “entered Lahore.” The spokesman said the government can take whatever actions it wants, but will not be able to stop upcoming suicide bombers.

Police and private security guards manned the park during the explosion. Haider Ashraf, the city’s police chief, said the attack was “a warlike situation.” The majority of victims suffered burns, but many also experienced fractures from the force of the explosion and the rush of people fleeing the scene.

A Christian man named Sohail told CNN he was at the park with four of his children and his wife.

“I went to get groceries, but my children insisted that it was the last day of their school holidays so I should take them to Iqbal Park, which I did,” he said.

Sohail went to get tickets for the park’s rides when the blast occurred: “My 6-year-old is in critical condition and is in surgery.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.