Lahore terror attack: 10 dead, 1,500 taken hostage (Third Lead)

LAHORE - Taliban guerrillas fired indiscriminately and lobbed grenades as they stormed two mosques Friday in this Pakistani city, taking about 1,500 worshippers hostage and leaving at least 10 people dead.

Heavy gunfire was interspersed with deafening blasts when the terror attack took place on mosques of the minority Ahmadi sect in Garhi Shahu and Model Town areas of Lahore.

The militants hurled hand grenades and opened fire on the people inside the mosques, Geo TV reported.

Security forces were able to tackle the seven militants who attacked the packed mosque in Model Town area. Ten people died while several were injured in the attack.

Television footage showed gunmen firing indiscriminately from the rooftop of one of the mosques. Gunfire could be heard as people ran to take cover outside the mosque.

A police official told reporters that among the terrorists involved in the Model Town attack “one terrorist is dead, one injured and one has been held”.

Worried relatives of the worshippers who were trapped inside the mosques desperately tried to seek information about their fate.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Punjab has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Suicide bombers struck at a market in Lahore city March 12, killing 45 and injuring over 100.