Bloody Attacks on Several Churches and Hotels in Sri Lanka

Three churches and three hotels in Sri Lanka have been targeted in attacks. According to the latest reports, more than 200 people have been killed and another 450 injured in these attacks. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Easter Sunday prayers in Sri Lanka were stained with blood. According to the latest reports, at least 207 people have been killed in several attacks on churches and hotels in the country. The number of injured has been reported at more than 450.

The death toll is rising by the hour. Around midday local time, police reported around 50 deaths, but this figure changed hour by hour. The number of victims is likely to continue rising.

Three luxury hotels and one church in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, and two other churches near the capital have been targeted in the attacks.

The attacks took place between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. local time.

Dozens of the victims are foreign nationals. Including citizens from Britain, the United States, and the Netherlands.

The St. Anthony Church in Colombo and the St. Sebastian Church in Negombo, located north of Colombo, were among the first targets of the attacks. At the time of the attacks, Christian worshippers were holding Easter services.

Another Explosion in Colombo

In continuation of the series of explosions in Sri Lanka, another explosion occurred near a zoo in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Media reported that two people were killed in this explosion.

The head of Sri Lanka’s police had warned ten days ago about the possibility of suicide attacks on churches and India’s High Commission office in Sri Lanka. The head of Sri Lanka’s police had said these attacks could be carried out by an extremist Islamic group. He identified the source of his information as foreign security agencies.

The group referred to by Sri Lanka’s police chief is an Islamic group called “Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath” which was founded in Tamil Nadu, India in 2004. The group claims to introduce “true Islam” to both Muslims and non-Muslims.

The group was held responsible last year for the destruction of Buddhist statues in Sri Lanka. The connection between Sunday’s attacks in Sri Lanka and this group remains unclear.

The majority of Sri Lanka’s population is Buddhist. However, Muslim, Hindu, and Christian minorities also live in the country. 12 percent of Sri Lanka’s 21 million population are Muslim, 10 percent Hindu, and 7 percent Christian. Most Christians follow the Roman Catholic Church.

Identification of Attack Perpetrators

Sri Lanka’s Defense Minister announced on Sunday afternoon local time that the perpetrators of the series of attacks on hotels and churches have been identified. The Sri Lankan Defense Minister described the attacks at a press conference as a “terrorist incident” designed and carried out by an “extremist group.”

The Sri Lankan official did not name any specific group or individual.

The Defense Minister also announced a 12-hour nationwide curfew starting at 6 p.m. local time.

Reactions to Sri Lanka’s Bloody Attacks

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of Germany, in response to the killing of innocent people in Sri Lanka, called it a “cowardly terrorist attack” and strongly condemned it.

In a letter to his Sri Lankan counterpart, Germany’s President wrote, “I am shocked and appalled by these cowardly terrorist attacks.” Steinmeier also wrote in his letter: “These attacks are particularly vile and abhorrent in that a large number of believers engaged in worship on the religious holiday of Easter were deliberately targeted in these despicable attacks.”

Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, also expressed her condolences to Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka, in a message. In her message, Ms. Merkel wrote, stating that she has “learned with sorrow and shock of these attacks,” “It is shocking that people who had gathered to celebrate Easter services were deliberately targeted in these malicious attacks.”

The German Chancellor emphasized that “religious hatred” must not be allowed to prevail. She continued: “In these difficult moments, we mourn with the families of the victims and pray for the quick recovery of the injured.”

Iran also condemned the terrorist attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka. Abbas Mousavi, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, on Sunday afternoon in a tweet strongly condemned these attacks and expressed deep sympathy with the families of the victims of these crimes and with the government and people of Sri Lanka.

Source: DW