{UAH} Sri Lanka – Terror on Easter Sunday: 185 murdered by Muslim terrorists in 8 bomb blasts across churches, hotels

Sri Lanka – Terror on Easter Sunday: 185 murdered by Muslim terrorists in 8 bomb blasts across churches, hotels

BY BTNEWS · PUBLISHED APRIL 21, 2019 · UPDATED APRIL 21, 2019

 

Muslim terrorists have hit three churches and three hotels in and around the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo in a coordinated, targeted terror attack on Christians.

The blasts hit several high-end hotels and one church in the capital, while two additional churches were targeted outside Colombo.

A seventh explosion, claiming two lives, took place in Dehiwala near the zoo.

An eighth explosion has been reported from the Sri Lankan capital Colombo. The blast took place near the Dematagoda area. Security forces have launched a search operation at the home of a Muslim terrorist in close proximity to the blast site in Dematagoda following a tip-off that there are more explosives at the location.

At least 185 people were murdered and more than 400 injured in the terror attacks. Among the killed are 35 foreigners, including French, Americans, and Dutch.

Officials say they suspect the blasts at two churches were carried out by suicide bombers.

A curfew has been imposed across Sri Lanka from 6 pm today to 6 am tomorrow. April 22 and 23 have been declared national days of mourning. Earlier the government had ordered the schools to be closed. The evening Easter masses across Sri Lanka have also been canceled.

In addition, the Sri Lankan government has imposed a temporary social media ban.

"A bomb attack to our church, please come and help if your family members are there," read a post in English on the Facebook page of the St Sebastian's Church at Katuwapitiya in Negombo.

A source in the police bomb squad said that one of the explosions was at St Anthony's Church in Kochcikade, Colombo. "Our people are engaged in evacuating the casualties," a police source told Reuters.

Sources from two leading tourist hotels in Colombo also confirmed the explosions but did not give any details.

Only around six percent of mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka is Catholic, but the religion is seen as a unifying force because it includes people from both the Tamil and majority Sinhalese ethnic groups.

The Israeli foreign ministry is checking if any Israelis were injured or murdered in the coordinated terror attacks.

The United Nations in Sri Lanka condemned the horrific attacks and expressed its condolences to the victims and their families. "The UN in Sri Lanka urges all citizens, all leaders to stand united during these difficult times," the international body tweeted.

 

 

 

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