Eight Killed as Terrorists Attack Cricketers in Lahore

Sri Lankan Team's Convoy Ambushed by Gunmen

Terrorist attacks in troubled Pakistan are nothing new, but today’s attack in Lahore, which killed six police and two civilian bystanders and injured several others seems to have captured the attention of not just the nation, but much of the world as well.

The 12 attackers, who the Lahore police chief said “appeared to be well-trained terrorists” attacked the Sri Lankan national cricket team, and while the team managed to escape the attack with only a handful of injured players the team is being recalled over security questions, another major black eye for Pakistan on the international scene.

The extent of the fallout is yet to be clear, but the Indian government has already used the attack as an excuse to once again condemn the Pakistani government for its inability to deal with the problem of terrorism in the nation.

At the same time, some have speculated that the attack may backfire on the terrorists, given cricket’s enormous popularity in the nation. It is not clear yet who was behind the attack, however, and the attackers are still being sought by security forces.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.