Ambiguities Surrounding Motives of Sri Lanka Attack Perpetrators
The death toll from the Sri Lanka attacks has exceeded 290 people. 450 people have also been injured in these explosions. Dozens of foreign tourists are among the victims of these attacks. No group has claimed responsibility for these attacks.
On Easter Sunday, several explosions occurred in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, and the city of Negombo, resulting in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of people. According to the latest reports released, during eight explosions in churches and tourist hotels in Sri Lanka, approximately 290 people were killed and 450 wounded. The physical condition of some of the injured has been reported as critical.
The German news agency reported on Monday, April 22, from Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, of the arrest of 24 people in connection with the attacks on Easter Sunday, April 21.
It is said that all those arrested have been Sri Lankan citizens. This is while Sri Lankan officials have also requested cooperation from other countries with Sri Lankan security authorities regarding the possibility of links between the perpetrators of these attacks and terrorist groups.
This same report indicates that no group has yet claimed responsibility for these attacks. Previously, an Islamic extremist group was mentioned as the perpetrator of these attacks. Moreover, there is still considerable ambiguity about the possible motives of the perpetrators of these attacks.
International Reactions
Among the victims of Sunday’s attacks on several churches and hotels in Sri Lanka are dozens of foreign nationals. It is said that 35 of those killed as a result of these attacks were foreigners. In addition, 19 of the wounded from these attacks are also citizens of other countries.
Heiko Maas, the German Foreign Minister, contacted Sri Lankan authorities regarding the question of whether German citizens are among the victims of these attacks.
The deadly Sri Lanka attacks caused anger and shock among many people and politicians around the world. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, has stated that these deadly attacks, particularly on the holy day of Easter Sunday at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, have shocked him.
A number of leaders and heads of various countries around the world have also expressed sorrow and shock over the occurrence of these attacks. Among them can be mentioned Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
From Germany as well, Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the country, and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of Germany, expressed solidarity with the people and government of Sri Lanka and strongly condemned these attacks.
Approximately eight percent of Sri Lanka’s population of 20 million is comprised of Christian citizens. Most people in Sri Lanka are Buddhist. Peace has prevailed in Sri Lanka since 2009. In 2009, the country’s 26-year civil war effectively came to an end. The bloody attacks on Easter Sunday have put this peace into question.
Source: DW
