Terror struck Christians in Pakistan’s Balochistan Province today as four terrorists allegedly linked with the Islamic State (IS) attacked a church, killing at least nine worshippers and injuring more than 50 others.
Police and church officials told Morning Star News that four suicide attackers stormed the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in the provincial capital, Quetta, in the southwestern part of the country.
“There were around 400 worshippers inside the church when the attack began,” the senior leader of the church identified only as Pastor Samuel told Morning Star News, adding that the church was holding a “Sunday School Christmas Program” at the time of the attack.
Pastor Samuel said that police assigned to the church’s security reacted timely, averting a much larger tragedy, as one suicide attacker was shot dead after an exchange of fire with police while the other died after detonating his explosive-packed jacket before being able to enter the main prayer hall.
Their two accomplices fled the scene during the exchange of fire.
“The loss of lives would have been colossal had either of the two suicide bombers detonated inside the church hall,” Pastor Samuel said. “Zarghoon Road is a very sensitive area, and the church is already listed in the A+ category of high threat places.”
Police guards deployed at the main…
… Read More
Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.