Explosions in churches and hotels in Sri Lanka: more than 200 dead

In the cities of Sri Lanka 21 April a series of explosions occurred. In the morning, almost simultaneously, three hotels in the center of Colombo (Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury Hotel) and three Catholic churches were attacked: one in the capital, one in its suburb Negombo, another one in the resort Battikaloa, writes edition Medusa.

Photo: Facebook St.Sebastian's Church, Katuwapitiya, Negombo, Sri Lanka.

In the churches at this time were Easter services. After a few hours, two more explosions occurred at a short interval in Colombo.

Killed more than two hundred people. Как сообщили local media, citing a police statement, attacked 207 people, and 450 were injured. The largest death toll in Negombo is the 104 person. Among the victims of the explosions there are at least 35 foreigners - hotel guests: it is known, in particular, about the deaths of citizens of the Netherlands and the United States. There are no Russians among the dead or injured.

Sri Lanka has a curfew. Authorities said he will last from six in the evening (8: 00 in New York) until six in the morning of Monday. In addition, access to the most popular messengers and social networks was blocked. Local residents told Medusa that now only Telegram is working on the island. In the television news, according to them, very little information is given - only the number of explosions and the place where they occurred.

Photo: Facebook St.Sebastian's Church, Katuwapitiya, Negombo, Sri Lanka.

No one has claimed responsibility for what happened.. how notes Bi-bi-siauthorities in recent months have expressed concerns about the return to their homeland of Islamists who fought in Syria on the side of the “Islamic state”. Sri Lanka also has radical Buddhist organizations: in 2018, they launched a series of attacks on mosques and Muslim houses, which declared a state of emergency in the country.

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In connection with the bombings in Sri Lanka, seven people were detained, reported in Twitter Minister of Economic Reform of the country Harsha de Silva with reference to the Minister of Defense Ruvan Viyevardene.

It is noted that the eighth explosion in Sri Lanka was carried out by a suicide bomber. This was reported by AFP, citing local police. The explosion reportedly killed three people, all of them police officers.

Medusa talked to locals, tourists, and Russians living in Colombo about what is happening in Sri Lanka now.

Dili

Colombo resident

Most of the explosions occurred in the really important objects of Colombo. For example, the Church of St. Anthony is a very popular Catholic church. This is a landmark of Colombo, and the capital in turn is the starting point of a trip to Sri Lanka for all tourists. In addition, the explosions occurred in three expensive hotels - Shangri La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury Hotel - in the center of the city.

The explosions occurred on Easter, and this is an important event for Sri Lanka. Although Christians in the country are only about 7%, Easter is celebrated very widely. All those who do not celebrate it themselves, still know about the holiday. Special events are held not only in churches, but also in hotels and other similar places.

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Right now I am at home in the suburbs of Colombo. In the city itself, life stands still: offices are closed, people sit at home. People in Colombo are very nervous. It seems that even going outside can be dangerous, as some bombs were still in the most usual residential neighborhoods.

This attack took all of us by surprise. We do not know the causes of the attack and do not know how to react - since the moment when such events took place in the country, a lot of time has passed. I think in Sri Lanka nothing of the kind has happened on such a scale since civil war.

Photo: Facebook St.Sebastian's Church, Katuwapitiya, Negombo, Sri Lanka.

Matisha

Colombo resident

Immediately after the explosion, people stopped going out of their homes. We all just wait and fear what might happen.

After the explosions, the authorities turned off access to social networks and instant messengers - in fact, this is the only thing that made our government. Only Telegram works in the country, but rumors about the causes of the attack are already spreading among local residents - allegedly a week ago the authorities learned that terrorist attacks were being prepared, but ignored it. It is believed that the terrorist group linked to the "Islamic State" arranged the attacks, and they laid a total of bombs in the city near the 50. Perhaps the attack was a response to the actions of radical Sri Lankan Buddhist organizations that attacked mosques in 2018. I do not know if this is all true or not (no one has yet claimed responsibility for the bombings, but seven suspects of involvement in crimes have been detained - ed.).

But even despite these rumors, such an attack is something very strange. The civil war ended 10 years ago, but this was not the case even during the war. Then one bomb exploded, and it all ended. When that which began today is over is unknown.

Lana

Colombo resident, moved there from Russia

During the bombings, there were few people on the streets; crowded - only in churches. The fact is that from 13 to 14 April in Sri Lanka was a national New Year, followed by a long weekend. All went to their parental homes and did not go anywhere - such a tradition. In addition, today is Sunday, and it is not customary for locals to stroll through the streets at weekends. This is family time.

Seven people detained after explosions in Sri Lanka#Sri Lanka #SriLanka pic.twitter.com/Qhay3ANh3N

- Channel Five News (@ 5tv) April 21, 2019

I live in the center of Colombo, and if we connect all the points on the map where there were explosions, I’ll be in the middle. But I do not worry: I have been living here for a long time, doing meditation, writing a book about Buddhism. Yes, and the locals, too, never really fuss, very phlegmatic. If you lived here for a long time, you would not be worried too.

I learned about the explosions in the morning. I woke up, went downstairs, and the guard said that it was better not to go out of the house — at that moment six explosions had already occurred. Like everyone else, I left the street and sit at home - watching the news. But the information is extremely scarce. Journalists tell almost nothing. We just have to wait for more detailed reports.

Now all social networks are disabled in the country. This is a constant practice with the authorities under some serious threats. There have been cases that Facebook has not worked for several weeks.

Vyacheslav

tourist from Russia

Colombo for tourists - only transfer hub. All fly there, but then disperse around the island. There is nothing special to do there - only those who need it for work (in the Russian Union of Travel Industry сообщилиthat there were no organized groups of tourists from Russia in the affected hotels - ed.).

We now also ride around the island far from big cities. Police everywhere became more, some large tourist places are closed. Locals react anxiously, but on the whole the situation in the country is quite calm. For example, no one tells us that it is necessary to leave the streets of hotels.

Mohammad

Colombo resident

Immediately after the explosions, we were all warned not to go to the streets, so we stay at home and monitor the situation. It seems to me that the authorities have everything under control, especially since there were few people on the streets because of weekends.

Personally, I, as a Muslim, are now worried that people accuse us of today's explosions: I myself see how the media reports that none of the terrorist organizations took responsibility for the explosions, but everyone assumes that this has been done by Islamist extremist groups.

I see that politicians and other people are trying to find a religious background to the attack, but I personally think that the attacks were specially staged during the Easter services in order to connect it with religion. Some politicians benefit from Islamophobia. They want conflict between Muslims and Christians.

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