The Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 300 people at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, ac
The Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 300 people at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, according to the group’s Amaq News Agency. A government official said the bombings were in retaliation for the killing of 50 people last month at mosques in New Zealand, but he did not offer any evidence for the claim. He said they were carried out by two Islamist extremist groups.
The first funerals were held at a damaged church in western Sri Lanka, where as many as 100 parishioners were killed by a suicide bomber. The coffins, many bearing the remains of children, were interred as the police raised the death toll from the coordinated attacks to 321.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister assured that all steps would be taken to prevent terrorism from raising its head in the island country again.
“This was an attack which had been planned for a long time. There were handlers, who were guiding the suicide bombers. Police are working to arrest them. We have to consider these extremists to be a part of a global terror network. We will never allow another war to begin in this country,” the prime minister said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijewardene told parliament that the “National Tawheed Jamaat” were behind the attacks and further investigations were underway.
