Continuing government confusion in its investigation — from drastically lowering the death toll to misidentifying a Brown University student as a militant — only added to the public’s worries.…
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Catholic leaders cancelled Sunday Masses indefinitely across Sri Lanka and officials urged Muslims to stay home for Friday prayers in an extraordinary call by the clergy to curtail worship as fear of more attacks plagued the island nation after the deadly suicide bombings on Easter.
On Friday night, Sri Lanka’s military said its soldiers in the eastern part of the country engaged in a gunbattle with suspects believed to be linked to the attacks, and police announced a 24-hour curfew until further notice in the Muslim-dominated area where the shooting took place. Officials from the police to the prime minister say militants remain on the loose and have access to explosives. That has led to increased security at shrines, churches, temples and mosques across the multiethnic country of 21 million off the southern coast of India.
Authorities told Muslims to worship at home rather than attend communal Friday prayers that are the most important religious service of the week, but several mosques held services anyway. At a mosque in Colombo, police armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles stood guard outside for hundreds of worshippers as the imam inside and others wept while praying to Allah to help their country.
A “major search operation has been undertaken,” Sirisena said. “Every household in the country will be checked.” Earlier Friday, police confirmed the militant group’s leader, Mohamed Zahran, died in the suicide bombing at the Shangri-La Hotel, one of six hotels and churches attacked. Zahran appeared in an Islamic State video claiming responsibility for the co-ordinated assault, and authorities in both Sri Lanka and Australia confirmed links between IS and the attack.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Sunday Mass cancelled across Sri Lanka a week after bombingsCatholic leaders cancelled Sunday Masses indefinitely across Sri Lanka and officials urged Muslims to stay home for Friday prayers in an extraordinary call by the clergy to curtail worship as fear of more attacks plagued the island nation after the deadly suicide bombings on Easter.
Read more »
Warnings about Islamic extremists targeting Christians on Easter Sunday went unheeded, says Sri Lanka health ministerThe bombings, Sri Lanka’s deadliest violence since a devastating civil war ended a decade ago on the island nation, killed at least 290 people with more than 500 wounded, Police spokesman Ruw…
Read more »
Explosions hit 2 churches in Sri Lanka on Easter SundayCOLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Two explosions hit two churches in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, wounding at least 50 people, witnesses said.The first blast ripped through St. Anthony’s Shrine in Co…
Read more »
Explosions kill at least 138 in Sri Lanka on Easter SundayAt least 129 people were killed and nearly 500 hospitalized from injuries in near simultaneous blasts that rocked three churches and three hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, the state-run Daily News reported.
Read more »
Explosions kill at least 138 in Sri Lanka on Easter SundayBlasts target three churches and three luxury hotels
Read more »
Pope marks Easter Sunday amid bloodshed in Sri LankaThis year the Easter season has been marred both by the destruction of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris by fire last week and the massacre on Sunday in Sri Lanka
Read more »
Explosions kill at least 138 in Sri Lanka on Easter SundayAt least 138 people were killed and hundreds more injured in near simultaneous blasts that rocked three churches and three luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, a security official said, in the worst spout of violence in the South Asian country since its civil war ended a decade ago.
Read more »
Pope decries 'cruel violence' of Easter Sunday attacks in Sri LankaPope Francis denounced the 'cruel violence' of the Easter Sunday slaughter of Christians and foreigners in Sri Lanka as he celebrated the most joyful moment on the Christian liturgical calendar by lamenting the bloodshed and political violence afflicting many parts of the world.
Read more »
Several explosions at churches, hotels kill at least 207 in Sri Lanka on Easter SundaySeveral explosions at churches, hotels kill at least 207 in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. Here's what we know so far.
Read more »
Easter Sunday blasts at churches, hotels kill more than 200 in Sri LankaHundreds more injured from eight blasts in and just outside of Sri Lanka’s capital; Trudeau says no reports of any Canadians hurt in the attack
Read more »
More than 200 killed in bomb attacks in Sri Lanka on Easter SundayThe nearly simultaneous first six blasts hit a famous Catholic church in Colombo and three luxury hotels in the city. The other two occurred at St. Sebastian Catholic church in Negombo
Read more »