Authorities have blocked most social media services in Sri Lanka after attacks that killed more than 200 people, according to a group that monitors internet censorship.
A group that monitors internet censorship says Sri Lankan authorities have blocked most social media services in the country following attacks that killed more than 200 people on Easter Sunday.
Facebook says in a statement that people rely on its services to communicate with loved ones and it’s committing to maintaining service in the country.Britain’s Foreign Office is confirming that British nationals died in the Sri Lanka attacks but is not specifying the number, which Sri Lankan officials say was five.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s chief Yousef al-Othaimeen described them as “cowardly attacks” that targeted innocent worshippers and civilians. Some 57 nations are part of the OIC, which is headquartered in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea city of Jiddah. Ryan said the teams deployed to houses of worship will include resources from the department’s critical response command and strategic response group, which focus on quick response to incidents such as terror attacks.
America’s top diplomat says “these vile attacks are a stark reminder of why the United States remains resolved in our fight to defeat terrorism” The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka says it mourns the loss of innocent people in the blasts by extremists who seek to divide religious and ethnic groups. He also commends the unity of the Sri Lankan people after the Easter Sunday attacks on churches and hotels that killed more than 200 people.Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok says a Dutch national is among the dead after a series of blasts in Sri Lanka.More than 200 people were killed in the Easter Sunday blasts that targeted churches and hotels popular with foreigners.
Police say 207 people were killed and 450 wounded in Sunday’s explosions, whose targets included at least three churches and three luxury hotels. Hours later, a blast at a guesthouse killed at least two people. After an eighth explosion near an overpass in the area of Dematagoda on the outskirts of Colombo, the capital, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara says three police officers were killed when they went to question suspects following a tip.Officials say seven suspects have been arrested.Earlier, China’s embassy said four Chinese nationals were hospitalized and in stable condition. It is not clear if the deceased was among them.
The People’s Daily, the ruling Communist Party’s official newspaper, said Sunday evening that one Chinese national has been confirmed dead. The U.S. president in a Twitter post cited the “horrible terrorist attacks on churches and hotels that have killed at least 138 million people and badly injured 600 more.”Trump says America stands ready to help Sri Lanka cope.Foreign tourists in Sri Lanka have hurriedly contacted loved ones around the world to say they were OK after attacks on churches and hotels killed over 130 people.
Saad Hariri in a tweet asks for mercy for the “innocent victims” and speedy recovery for the injured. He added: “I entrust to the Lord all those who were tragically killed and pray for the injured and all those who are suffering as a result of this dramatic event.”A Sri Lankan military spokesman has confirmed two more explosions just outside the capital, hours after six nearly simultaneous blasts rocked churches and luxury hotels, killing at least 138 people.
Defense Minister Ruwan Wijewardena told reporters that he believed police and military forces had identified the perpetrators of the blasts that killed at least 138 people and wounded hundreds more. A soldier and several police guarded the building. It was unclear whether the extra security was linked to the Sri Lanka attack, but parishioner Monique Pigere said “I understand why” security is needed, lamenting the “terrible” news.New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has condemned the “devastating” attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier wrote in a message to his Sri Lankan counterpart that he was “stunned and horrified” by the “cowardly terror attacks.” Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz wrote on Twitter that he was “deeply shaken and concerned by devious terrorist attacks.” The series of blasts at three churches and three luxury hotels killed at least 138 people. It’s the worst bout of violence in Sri Lanka since the South Asian country’s bloody civil war ended a decade ago.British Prime Minister Teresa May has condemned what she called the “truly appalling” attacks in Sri Lanka.
In a telegram of condolences sent to his Sri Lankan counterpart, the Russian leader said Moscow remains a “reliable partner of Sri Lanka in the fight against international terrorism.” The series of blasts at three churches and three luxury hotels killed at least 138 people. It’s the worst bout of violence in Sri Lanka since the South Asian country’s bloody civil war ended a decade ago.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said: “Regardless of the motive, the attack in Sri Lanka is the same as the traitorous attack in Christchurch: cowardly, barbaric and cruel.”
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