207 people were killed and 450 injured in the attacks, which targeted worshippers and guests in hotels popular with tourists More Than 200 People Killed in Series of Deadly Church and Hotel Bombings in Sri Lanka A series of bombs tore through Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, killing more than 200 people in churches and popular tourist hotels in and around the island nation’s capital of Colombo. Six blasts went off simultaneously Sunday morning, targeting Easter mass attendees at St. Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo, the St. Sebastian Catholic Church in nearby Negombo, and the Protestant Zion church in the town of Batticaloa, as well as three luxury hotels, according to CBS News. Get push notifications with news, features and more. sri-lanka-e St. Sebastian’s Church | Credit: Chamila Karunarathne/AP/REX/Shutterstock “It was a river of blood,” shopkeeper N.A. Sumanapala told the New York Times of the scene inside St. Anthony’s. “Ash was falling like snow. I saw limbs and heads. There were children, too.” The Shangri-La, a hotel in Colombo, said in a statement on Facebook that an explosion went off in its Table One Restaurant around 9 a.m. sri-lanka St. Sebastian’s Church | Credit: Chamila Karunarathne/AP/REX/Shutterstock “We are deeply saddened and shocked by the incident and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the casualties and those who have been affected,” the statement read. “We are working closely with local authorities and emergency services to provide our fullest assistance and support to the affected staff and guests.” sri-lanka-d St. Anthony Shrine | Credit: Chamila Karunarathne/AP/REX/Shutterstock Another hotel, the Cinnamon Grand, also said in a statement that an explosion went off in its ground floor restaurant. “It is with deep regret that we wish to inform that an explosion occurred in a restaurant located on the ground floor of the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, earlier today,” the Facebook statement read. “Medical evacuation was activated immediately for the injured. The area has been isolated for investigations and security clearance.” The Kingsbury Hotel was also hit, and two people were killed later in the day after a bomb went off at the Tropical Inn hotel in the suburb of Dehiwala, according to the New York Times. • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. sri-lanka-c The Shangri-La Hotel | Credit: Eranga Jayawardena/AP/REX/Shutterstock The Times reports that another explosion at a housing complex in the suburb of Dematagoda killed three police officers as they tried to apprehend suspects. Defense Minister Ruwan Wijewardene said at a news briefing that seven suspects have so far been arrested, and that the bombs were part of a terrorist attack by religious extremists, according to CBS News. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, though authorities believe the suspects to be part of a single group. At least 207 people were killed and 450 wounded in the string of attacks, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said, according to the Times. CNN reports that nearly 30 victims were foreigners. Two dual citizens of the U.S. and U.K. were among the dead, according to ABC News. sri-lanka-b St. Anthony’s Shrine | Credit: M A PUSHPA KUMARA/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock The government has since imposed a nationwide curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., while social media and messaging services like Facebook and WhatsApp have reportedly been temporarily blocked so as not to spread misinformation. Sri Lanka’s civil war, in which rebel groups from the ethnic Tamil minority sought independence from the ethnic Sinhala Buddhist majority, ended in 2009 after nearly three decades. CNN reports that less than 10 percent of Sri Lankans are Christian, while 70.2 percent identify as Buddhist, 12 percent Hindu, 9.7 percent Muslim and 7.4 percent Christian. Pope Francis called the attacks “horrendous” in his Easter Sunday address, according to the Washington Post. “I entrust to the Lord all who so tragically died, and I pray for the wounded and all those who suffer because of this traumatic event,” Francis said. Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe issued a statement on Twitter, writing that he “strongly” condemned the “cowardly attacks.” “I strongly condemn the cowardly attacks on our people today. I call upon all Sri Lankans during this tragic time to remain united and strong,” he wrote. “Please avoid propagating unverified reports and speculation. The government is taking immediate steps to contain this situation.”<doc-sep>A pair holding U.S. and British nationalities were among the 11 foreigners killed after a series of explosions struck three churches and three luxury hotels in and just outside of Sri Lanka’s capital Easter Sunday, leaving at least 207 people dead and 450 others injured, officials said. Sri Lanka's foreign ministry said the other foreigners whose nationalities have been verified included three Indians, one Portuguese national, two Turkish nationals, and three British nationals. The U.S. State Department confirmed in a statement that “several U.S. citizens were among those killed” in the explosions, though details were still emerging. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo went on to condemn the Easter morning "terror attacks." "Attacks on innocent people gathering in a place of worship or enjoying a holiday meal are affronts to the universal values and freedoms that we hold dear, and demonstrate yet again the brutal nature of radical terrorists whose sole aim is to threaten peace and security," Pompeo said in the statement. POPE CELEBRATES EASTER SUNDAY AMID BLOODSHED IN SRI LANKA The six nearly simultaneous blasts—followed hours later by two more explosions—marked the bloodshed as among the worst since the South Asian country’s 26-year civil war ended a decade ago, a spokesperson for the Sri Lanka police said. A police spokesman said 13 suspects have been arrested in connection with the attacks. Police said they also found a vehicle they believe was used to transport the suspects into Colombo, along with a safe house used by the attackers. Defense Minister Ruwan Wijewardena described the attacks as a terrorist attack by religious extremists, though no one immediately claimed responsibility. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he feared the violence could trigger instability in the country and its economy. The explosions collapsed ceilings and blew out windows, killing worshippers and hotel guests. People were seen carrying the wounded out of blood-spattered pews. Witnesses described powerful explosions, followed by scenes of smoke, blood, broken glass, alarms going off and victims screaming in terror. "People were being dragged out," Bhanuka Harischandra of Colombo, a 24-year-old founder of a tech marketing company who was going to the city's Shangri-La Hotel for a meeting when it was bombed. "People didn't know what was going on. It was panic mode." He added: "There was blood everywhere." The first explosion occurred around 8:45 a.m. local time, with the deadliest appearing to be at St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, a city about 20 miles north of Colombo. Other attacks occurred at St. Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo and Zion Church in the eastern city of Batticaloa. The three hotels – the Shangri La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury Hotel – all in Colombo are frequented by foreign tourists. The other two blasts occurred in Dematagoda, where the occupants of a safehouse apparently detonated explosives to prevent arrest. An official told the Associated Press that at least two of the church blasts were believed to have been coordinated attack carried out by suicide bombers. “The United States offers heartfelt condolences to the great people of Sri Lanka,” U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted in part early Sunday. “We stand ready to help!” U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina Teplitz offered her condolences over Twitter early Sunday. "Deeply saddened by the senseless attacks in Sri Lanka today. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. We stand with Sri Lanka’s people at this terrible moment," she tweeted. Former President Barack Obama in a tweet called the Easter bloodshed an “attack on humanity.” "The attacks on tourists and Easter worshippers in Sri Lanka are an attack on humanity," Obama wrote. "On a day devoted to love, redemption, and renewal, we pray for the victims and stand with the people of Sri Lanka." Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in a statement condemned the deadly blasts as a “great evil," and said the attack cannot "overcome the hope" found in the Easter holiday. SRI LANKA AVERTS RIFT SPILLING OVER TO UN RIGHTS SESSION St. Sebastian's pleaded for help on its Facebook page. The explosion ripped the roof off the building and knocked out doors and windows. Churches throughout the country have been placed on alert, with many canceling Easter services. Sri Lankan Member of Parliament Harsha de Silva tweeted Sunday of "many casualties including foreigners." "Sec Defence and I am at Kochchikade church. Also was at ShangriLa n Kingsbury. PM is on his way from Bentota. Emergency meeting called in a few minutes. Rescue operations underway. Please stay calm and indoors. Many casualties including foreigners," he posted. "Horrible scenes. I saw many body parts strewn all over. Emergency crews are at all locations in full force. We, at 1990 also have close to 20 units at the various locations. We took multiple casualties to hospital. Hopefully saved many lives," he continued. The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, called on Sri Lanka's government to launch a "very impartial strong inquiry" and to punish those found responsible "mercilessly because only animals can behave like that." Pope Francis denounced the "cruel violence" at the end of his traditional Easter Sunday blessing. Speaking from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, Francis said: "I want to express my loving closeness to the Christian community, targeted while they were gathered in prayer, and all the victims of such cruel violence." 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." British Prime Minister Teresa May tweeted "We must stand together to make sure that no one should ever have to (practice) their faith in fear." New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern condemned the "devastating" attacks, and referred to the March 15 shootings at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch in which 50 died. "New Zealand condemns all acts of terrorism and our resolve has only been strengthened by the attack on our soil," Ardern said. "New Zealand rejects all forms of extremism and stands for freedom of religion and the right to worship safely." 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Not Now Turn On<doc-sep>As Christians in Sri Lanka gathered on Sunday morning to celebrate Easter Mass, powerful explosions ripped through three churches packed with worshipers, leaving hundreds of victims amid a havoc of splintered and blood-spattered pews. In what the police said were coordinated terrorist attacks carried out on both sides of the country by a single group, suicide bombers also struck three hotels popular with tourists. At least 207 people were killed and 450 others injured, a police spokesman, Ruwan Gunasekera, said. News of the bombings, the largest attack on South Asian Christians in recent memory, rippled out all Easter morning, interrupting celebrations across the world. Pope Francis, after celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Square, said the attacks had “brought mourning and sorrow” on the most important of Christian holidays. [Photographs of the destruction. | Read more of our coverage.] • The bombings began around 8:45 a.m., and targeted Christian houses of worship — St. Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo, the capital; St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo; and Zion Church in Batticaloa — along with three luxury hotels: the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand, and the Kingsbury, all in Colombo. • Thirteen suspects were held in connection with the bombings, the authorities said. Three officers were killed hunting for the attackers at a housing complex. • A top police official alerted security officials in an advisory 10 days ago about a threat to churches from a radical Islamist group, National Thowheeth Jama’ath. But it was unclear what safeguards, if any, were taken, or if in the end the group played any role in the violence. And on Sunday, reflecting frictions within the government, the prime minister pointedly said he had not been informed. • Sri Lanka temporarily blocked major social media and messaging services, including Facebook and WhatsApp, to curb misinformation. • At least 35 of the dead were foreigners, several of them American, the authorities said. Others were British, Chinese, Dutch and Portuguese, according to officials and news reports.<doc-sep>
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A series of coordinated explosions struck three churches and three hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, killing more than 200 people and injuring 450. Blasts ripped through three churches in the cities of Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa at approximately 8:45 a.m. as worshipers were gathering for services. Explosions also took place at four hotels within Colombo, the nation’s capital, police said, while an eighth blast occurred under a flyover within the city. There has been no claim of responsibility for the bombings, which represent the deadliest violence in the country since the end of its civil war in 2009. Sri Lanka is a predominantly Buddhist nation but is also home to significant Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities. At least 50 people were killed in Colombo and 62 in the nearby town of Negombo, according to Anil Jasinghe, director of the National Hospital in Colombo, the nation’s capital. Kaneshlingam Kala, a hospital official in the eastern city of Batticaloa, said 25 people were killed at Zion Church. The dead included at least eight foreigners, including three Americans, according to doctors who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The death toll is expected to increase, officials said. Images from inside St. Anthony’s Kochchikade, the largest Roman Catholic congregation in Colombo, showed shattered wooden pews and floors stained with blood. Another deadly blast took place at St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, a beach town about 20 miles north of the capital. Two people at the Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo described a powerful explosion that made the ground shake just before 9 a.m. Photos showed broken windows and scattered glass on a street next to the hotel. At the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, the blast took place in a restaurant on the ground floor, the hotel wrote on Twitter. It said the injured were promptly evacuated. In the wake of the bombings, Sri Lankan authorities announced a nationwide curfew, effective immediately. They also blocked Facebook and the messaging application WhatsApp to stop the spread of false and inflammatory messages. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka’s prime minister, condemned what he called “the cowardly attacks on our people today” and urged the country to remain “united and strong.” Earlier on Sunday, Harsh de Silva, a minister in Sri Lanka’s government, wrote on Twitter that he had seen “horrible scenes” after the explosions and that there were “many casualties including foreigners.” He urged people to stay indoors.