US reiterates offer to help Pak take on militants post recurrent attacks on Christians

Condemning the recent explosions near two churches in Lahore, the United States has reiterated its offer to help Pakistan deal with militancy.

US State Department's spokesperson Jen Psaki said at a briefing in Washington, "We strongly condemn Sunday's attack on innocent people at two churches in Lahore, and we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims," reported the Dawn.

Psaki said that the U.S. stood in "solidarity" with the people and government of Pakistan in confronting extremist violence.

She added that the U.S. supported the right of every person to practice any religion "without fear of intimidation, death, coercion or any form of reprisal." This, she said, was a basic human right in both Pakistan and throughout the world.

Leaders of the Pakistani Christian community in the United States also condemned the attack and urged the government to offer complete protection to all places of worship in the country, particularly, those of religious minorities.

The attack was carried out by two suicide bombers in Lahore's Roman Catholic Church and Christ Church in Youhanabad area on Sunday morning when both the churches have high attendance on account of mass.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan ( TTP) splinter group Jamatul Ahrar claimed responsibility for the attack.

Youhanabad, the country's biggest Christian locality, is home to about one million people.

The Christian community in Pakistan has long been the target of attacks and hate crimes by extremists.