- Four Pakistanis injured in the blasts
- PM, FM, FO condemn terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, April 21: At least 215 people were killed and over 500 people were injured in Sri Lanka when a string of blasts ripped through high-end hotels and churches as worshippers attended Easter services.
The powerful blasts – six in quick succession and then two more hours later – wrought devastation, including at the capital’s well-known St Anthony’s Shrine, a historic Catholic Church. The injured also include four Pakistani nationals. All four – including three women identified as Maheen Hassan, Muzna Humayun and Atika Atif – sustained minor injuries and were discharged after receiving treatment.
Hospital sources said British, Dutch and American citizens were among the dead overall, with Britons and Japanese also injured. A Portuguese man also died, the country’s LUSA news agency reported.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe condemned the attacks – the worst act of violence since the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war a decade ago – as “cowardly”, and said the government was working to “contain the situation”.
Three churches – one each in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa – and three Colombo hotels were targeted in the initial series of blasts. Another hotel and an unspecified location in Colombo were struck by two more blasts two hours later.
The death toll included worshippers and hotel guests. The injured flooded into local hospitals, where officials reported hundreds of wounded were being admitted.
After the eighth explosion, the government declared a curfew with immediate effect and said it would last “until further notice”. A social media ban was also imposed across the country. Government officials said major social media networks and messaging apps, including Facebook and WhatsApp, have been blocked to prevent misinformation and rumours.
The nature of the blasts was not immediately clear, but an official speaking on condition of anonymity said police suspects the initial blasts at the churches in Colombo and Batticaloa were carried out by suicide bombers.
Much of the church roof was blown out in the explosion, with roof tiles, glass and splintered wood littering the floor along with pools of blood.
The injured flooded into local hospitals, where officials reported hundreds of wounded were being admitted.
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena in an address said he was shocked by the explosions and appealed for calm.
Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, writing on his verified Twitter account, said the attacks had killed “many innocent people” and appeared to be a “well-coordinated attempt to create murder, mayhem & anarchy.”
The first explosions were reported at St Anthony’s Church in Colombo and St Sebastian’s in the town of Negombo just outside the capital.
“A bomb attack to our church, please come and help if your family members are there,” read a post in English on the church’s Facebook page.
Soon after, police confirmed that a third church in the east-coast town of Batticaloa had been hit, along with three high-end hotels in the capital.
The blasts hit the two churches as worshippers attended Easter services, police said.
The hotels targeted in the attack are all popular destinations for tourists, among them the Cinnamon Grand, which is near the prime minister’s official residence in Colombo.
An official at the hotel told a foreign news agency that the blast there had hit the restaurant, and reported at least one person had been killed.
Embassies in Colombo warned their citizens to shelter in place, and Sri Lankan Airlines told customers to arrive at the airport four hours ahead of flights because of ramped-up security in the wake of the attacks. The defence ministry ordered a night-time curfew, beginning on Sunday 6pm local time (1230 GMT), and a “temporary” social media ban was imposed by the government.
The Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and the Government and people of Pakistan have conveyed their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and extended profound prayers for the speedy recovery of the wounded, following multiple explosions in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.
The Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, in unequivocal terms, condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirmed firm commitment for continued efforts and cooperation for eliminating it.
They reaffirmed Pakistan’s stance that terrorism did not have a religion. They said that Pakistan stood with Sri Lanka in this hour of grief
Pakistan has condemned the explosions and terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka at Churches and hotels, that have led to numerous casualties and immense loss.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr. Mohammad Faisal in a tweet said people and government of Pakistan stand by their Sri Lankan counterparts at this moment of tragedy and against terror.
The FO spokesperson further said we are watching the situation carefully. Any Pakistani in Sri Lanka needing help or assistance may contact on the phone numbers: 011205568, 0112055682 and 0767773750.
Sources said that at least four Pakistanis have been injured in Sri Lanka blasts on Sunday.
The injured Pakistanis include three women, namely Maheen Hassan wife of Hassan Mehmood, Muzna Humayun daughter of Chaudhry Muhammed Humayun, Aatika Atif wife of Chaudhry Atif Sharif. One Pakistani boy has received minor injuries. Agencies/DNA
