Rajapaksa condemns attack on Lankan cricket team

Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday unequivocally condemned the "cowardly terrorist attack" on the country's cricket team in Lahore on Tuesday.

"I condemn this cowardly terrorist attack targeting the Sri Lankan cricket team," Rajapaksa said in a message sent from Nepal, where he is on an official visit.

"The Sri Lankan players had gone to Pakistan as ambassadors of goodwill," he said in the statement released by his office here. Six Sri Lankan cricketers were injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire at them killing five police personnel escorting the team to the Gaddafi stadium for the third day of the second Test.

The injured cricketers include Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis and Thilan Samaraweera. The president has instructed immediate action to bring back all members of the team and ensure their safety and security. Rajapaksa also expressed his sincere good wishes for the speedy recovery of all injured players and officials and their well being, the statement said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama, who is also in Nepal, has been instructed to leave for Pakistan immediately following the attack which has left six Sri Lankan cricketers injured.

Instructions also have been given to the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Islamabad to facilitate the arrangements with Pakistani authorities on medical attention to the players in hospital, and their safe return home.