Twin blasts in Lahore kill 50, wound 150

ISLAMABAD, (KUNA) -- About 50 people, including security personnel, were killed and more than 150 others were wounded in two suicide blasts in Lahore, said official sources.

Both explosions were suicide blasts, said Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah to reporters.

Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Shafiq Gujjar said that the target of two suicide blasts, which took place within an interval of few minutes, was army vehicles.

He said police has recovered the heads of both suicide bombers.

According to police sources, an army convoy of three trucks was passing through a Chowk near cantonment bus station when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into a truck.

Only few minutes later, sources told KUNA, another bomber on a motorbike drove into another military vehicle.

Sources said that some four militants carried out the attack, adding that they were in their earlu 20s and were believed to be foreign nationals.

The Law Minister confirmed 37 casualties and said about 80 others were wounded, while hospital and police officials confirmed 50 casualties and said that more than 150 people were wounded.

Security sources said that the dead included at least five army personnel, but local news channels said that at least 20 personnel were killed in the attack and that a large number of the wounded were women and children.

Security forces cordoned off the area and not even journalists and media personnel were allowed onto the site.

Police said that it was conducting search operation and had arrested three suspects.

Some reports suggested that one of the militants escaped after opening fire and that police were searching for him.