In a series of eight devastating bomb blasts ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on Sunday, killing at least 207 people, including dozens of foreigners. 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", as the government imposed an immediate and indefinite curfew across the entire country of 21 million people. Over 450 people have been injured in the attacks.
The powerful blasts -- six in quick succession and then two more hours later -- left hundreds injured and wrought devastation, including at the capital's well-known St Anthony's Shrine, a historic Catholic Church.
At least two of the explosions were carried out by suicide bombers, according to police sources and a hotel official, and police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said the authorities were investigating whether suicide attackers were involved in all eight of them.
Thirteen people have been arrested in connection to the deadly attacks, the defence minister of Sri Lanka said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack on the hotels and churches on Easter and said such "barbarism has no place in the region". "Strongly condemn the horrific blasts in Sri Lanka. There is no place for such barbarism in our region. India stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. My thoughts are with the bereaved families and prayers with the injured," PM Modi tweeted.
Here are the updates on Sri Lanka bomb blasts:
Apr 22, 2019 01:05 (IST)
Suspected Improvised explosive device or IED located close to the Bandaranaike Airport in Sri Lanka defused, says Sri Lanka Air Force Spokesperson
Apr 21, 2019 22:32 (IST)
BREAKING: Number of arrests now stands at 13 in the Sri Lanka blasts.
Apr 21, 2019 22:20 (IST)
Britons were among those killed in the deadly Easter Sunday blasts in Sri Lanka, the Foreign Office in London said.
"We can confirm that British nationals were among those killed in today's horrific attacks in Sri Lanka," a Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman told AFP.
Apr 21, 2019 21:35 (IST)
BREAKING: Several Americans killed in Sri Lanka attacks: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Apr 21, 2019 21:34 (IST)
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Sunday expressed outrage over the Easter bombings of churches and hotels in Sri Lanka and called for "swift justice" to the perpetrators.
"The Secretary General reiterates the support and solidarity of the United Nations with the people and the Government of Sri Lanka in this difficult moment for the nation", Mr Guterres's Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.
"He commends the leadership demonstrated by the authorities and unity of the people of Sri Lanka in the wake of the attacks."
Dujarric said: "The Secretary-General is outraged by the terrorist attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, a sacred day for Christians around the world. He recalls the sanctity of all places of worship. He hopes the perpetrators will be swiftly brought to justice."
Apr 21, 2019 20:59 (IST)
DMK president M K Stalin, in a statement, said the trend of targeting places of worship in several countries - like in New Zealand where an attack took place recently - was a big challenge to humanism that should be thwarted by humanitarian forces.
Noting that Tamils too have been largely affected by the blasts in Sri Lanka, he said: "Justice should expeditiously be rendered to Tamils, other communities and foreigners affected by the blasts in Sri Lanka."
MK Stalin demanded firm and fair steps from the Lankan government over the blasts that tantamount to allegedly intimidating the Tamils more and aimed at creating a ''permanent fear'' in the minds of religious minorities.
He sought identification of forces behind the explosions and punishment for them.
Apr 21, 2019 20:13 (IST)
Three Indians killed in the Sri Lanka attacks:
"Indian High Commission in Colombo has conveyed that National Hospital has informed them about the death of three Indian nationals. Their names are Lakshmi, Narayan Chandrashekhar and Ramesh. We are ascertaining further details," Sushma Swaraj tweeted.
Apr 21, 2019 19:55 (IST)
Two Chinese nationals were confirmed killed in a series of explosions in Sri Lanka on Sunday, the Chinese Embassy said, reported news agency IANS.
The embassy is verifying the number of Chinese injured in the attacks.
Apr 21, 2019 19:24 (IST)
A detailed breakdown of casualties in the eight blasts and the nationalities of victims was not immediately available.
A Sri Lankan foreign ministry official said there were 27 bodies of suspected foreign nationals, while the police said at least 35 of the dead were foreigners.
Hospital sources said British, Dutch and American citizens were among those killed, with Britons and Japanese also injured. A Portuguese man also died, according to the Iberian nation's LUSA news agency. Two Chinese nationals were injured, the country's embassy in Sri Lanka said, according to Beijing's official Xinhua news agency.
Apr 21, 2019 18:59 (IST)
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy also tweeted his condolences to the victims in the Sri Lanka blasts.
Apr 21, 2019 18:04 (IST)
Indian Woman Killed in Sri Lanka blasts:
A Kerala woman holidaying in Colombo was among those killed in the bombings authorities said.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed condolences over the death of 58-year-old P.S. Razeena, who arrived in the Sri Lankan capital along with her husband to meet their relatives engaged in business in Colombo.
Razeena and her husband, who are from Kasargode in Kerala, live in Dubai and were staying at one of the three hotels in Colombo targeted on Sunday by suicide bombers.
A spokesperson for the state agency of the Kerala diaspora told the media that they were talking to the Indian High Commissioner's office in Colombo to see that Razeena's body was brought to Kerala.
Apr 21, 2019 18:03 (IST)
Actor-politician Rajinikanth also tweeted his condolences post the Sri Lanka blasts.
