At least 8 killed, dozens injured in suicide attack on Pakistan church

Two suicide bombers attacked a packed church in southwestern Pakistan on Sunday, killing at least eight people and wounding up to 45 before one of them blew himself up and police killed the other, officials said.

The gunmen wearing explosives-filled vests stormed the church in Quetta city when Sunday services had just opened, exploding a suicide vest and shooting at worshippers, said Sarfraz Bugti, the home minister of Balochistan province.

Police guards at the church exchanged fire with the attackers before they could enter the main sanctuary, said provincial police chief Moazzam Ansari. He said two women were among those killed.

"There were nearly 400 people inside the church, but the attackers couldn't get inside the services," Ansari said.

"We killed one of them, and the other one exploded himself after police wounded him," he said.

Ansari said the venue - Bethel Memorial Methodist Church - was on high alert as Christian places of worship were often targeted by extremist over Christmas.

TRT World's sources say two attackers are believed to have escaped and a search operation is under way. Daesh has claimed responsibility.

TRT World's Ben Said reports.

Pakistan has launched several military offensives over the last decade against the militants and separatists in the strategically important region, which borders Iran as well as Afghanistan.