Straight Talk

More than 200 killed in coordinated Easter Sunday bomb blasts in Sri Lanka

by Charlie Smith on April 21st, 2019 at 8:11 AM
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      Horrific violence has struck the island nation of Sri Lanka, targeting the country's Christian minority on their holiest day.

      CNN has reported that more than 200 people have been killed and 560 are injured in bombings at luxury hotels and at Christian churches during Easter Sunday services.

      The explosions occurred in the capital of Colombo, as well as in the cities of Negombo and Batticoloa.

      CNN initially reported six bombings. BBC, on the other hand, states on its website that "eight blasts were reported".

      Among the hotels targeted were the Shangri-La, Kingsbury, and Cinnamon Grand in Colombo.

      Quoting an unnamed manager of the Cinnamon Grand, AFP has reported that a guest registered as Mohamed Azzam Mohamed was just about to be served breakfast when he detonated explosives strapped to his back.

      An explosion at a Catholic church, St. Anthony's Shrine, blew out most of the roof.

      The photo below has gone viral on social media.

      The country is on lockdown.

      Seven people have been arrested, according to CBC News.

      A Sri Lankan foreign ministry official has told BBC that 27 foreign nationals were among those killed. AFP, on the other hand, has reported that 35 foreigners are dead.

      The following Twitter thread by University of Waterloo senior research fellow Amarnath Amarasingam provides some perspective.

      Amarasingam offered more thoughts in a subsequent Twitter thread, which you can see below.

      Meanwhile, Sri Lankan–born Liberal MP Gary Anandasangaree has tweeted his heartbreak over what's happened.

      "It falls on us to condemn acts of hatred and violence against ethnic and religious minorities," the Scarborough–Rouge Park MP wrote. "Thoughts are with the families, loved ones and communities of the victims." 

      Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other world leaders have also expressed their sorrow and condemnation.

       

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