April 21
A series of bombs exploded in three churches, three luxury hotels and a guesthouse in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, killing some 207 people and injuring hundreds more. An eighth explosion took place in a residential building in Colombo in the most serious violence to strike the country since its decade-long civil war ended in 2009.
The attacks took place at a peak period for foreign visitors to the tropical island nation, whose economy is heavily dependent on tourism. A police spokesman put the death toll at 207 on Sunday evening, with 450 injured. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
But Ruwan Wijewardena, defence minister, told reporters he believed security forces had identified the perpetrators and that those “involved in this unfortunate terrorist incident will be taken into custody as soon as possible”. The attacks had mainly been the work of suicide bombers, he said.
The blasts ripped through churches in the capital Colombo, the nearby coastal town of Negombo and the eastern town of Batticaloa, shortly before 9am, when they were packed with Easter worshippers from Sri Lanka’s small Christian minority, who account for 7.3 per cent of the population.
Bombs also exploded at three luxury hotels in Colombo — the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury, which were hosting Easter breakfasts for foreign visitors. The hotels are popular among overseas tourists and Sri Lanka’s affluent business elite.
A seventh blast occurred at a low-budget guesthouse in the Colombo suburb of Dehiwala, near the national zoo, with two people confirmed dead and several injured. The eighth was in a housing complex in Dematagoda, a northern district of Colombo; where three police officers were killed.
Mr Wijewardena told journalists that the bomb was detonated as the officers were attempting to arrest a suspect. The attacks come as Sri Lanka, known for its pristine beaches and mountainous tea-growing regions, was packed with foreign visitors.
Ranil Wickremesinghe, prime minister, called for calm, urging Sri Lankans to avoid spreading rumours or “propagating unverified reports and speculation” as authorities begin to investigate. “I strongly condemn the cowardly attacks on our people today,” the prime minister said in a tweet.
“I call upon all Sri Lankans during this tragic time to remain united and strong.” He added that the government was “taking immediate steps to contain this situation”. The authorities have imposed heavy security measures across the country.
The police announced a nationwide curfew with immediate effect, with no one allowed on to the streets, and WhatsApp and other social media were temporarily blocked.