Eight explosions in Sri Lanka – over 150 dead

"Eight explosions in Sri Lanka – over 150 dead,"

"A series of bloody bombings occurred in Sri Lanka. At least 156 people have been killed in the detonations at several churches and hotels. No one has claimed responsibility for the killings."

"at Least eight explosions have been reported, two of them several hours after the first attacks."

"the Government of the country has declared a nighttime curfew with immediate effect and limit access to social media, according to Reuters."

"a Lot of people must have visited the churches in connection with the easter festival, when the explosions occurred. At least 156 people have been killed, reports the AFP news agency with reference to police sources. Of these, at least 35 foreign citizens. Over 400 people have been injured in the context of the explosions, according to data provided to Reuters."

"Further explosions"

"Several hours after the initial six explosions, in a total of three churches and three hotels, it was reported on a seventh explosion in a hotel in the capital Colombo, where two people have been killed, according to police. According to the police, to the explosion to have taken place at a hotel."

"A moment later occurred an eighth explosion in Colombo. A suicide bomber triggered an explosive device when police would make a search warrant on an address in the capital. Three police officers were killed, reports AFP, with reference to a poliskälla."

"Danish Henrik Melder live several years ago in Colombo. He and his wife were on their way to a church service when a blast hit the car about 500 meters from the church."

"– So came the crash. I was just thinking that there is something amiss. "

"In the church they were on their way to the injured Henrik Melders brother-in-law and his wife seriously, and their two children were killed."

"One of the churches affected is the st. Sebastian in Negombo a few miles from the capital. Only in the church, over 50 people lost their lives, according to Reuters. A church in Batticaloa on the east coast have also been affected, with around 25 deaths, according to local media. In Colombo, there was an explosion in the church of st. Anthony."

"The three hotels that were hit by the first bombvågen is located in the capital city of Colombo. The case of the Shangri-La Colombo, the Kingsbury Hotel and the Cinnamon Grand Colombo."

"the Country's police chief went ten days ago out and warned that suicide bombers planned to attack churches in the country, writes AFP. The information came from a foreign intelligence agency, which warned that the islamist group NTJ planned a deed. NTJ is a radical islamist group in Sri Lanka who had to talk about last year in connection with the destruction of the buddhist statues."

"No group has claimed Sunday's sprängdåd."

"Sri Lanka's president Maithripala Sirisena is shocked by the incidents. Prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has called the national security council for emergency meeting."

"the foreign MINISTRY: No information about the swedes"

"the Swedish ministry of foreign affairs commenting on the events:"

"– the Swedish embassy in New Delhi and the consulate in Colombo is in contact with the local authorities. We have no information about the affected swedes at present, but we urge the swedes on the site to contact their relatives and to follow local authorities 'advice," said Diana Qudhaib at the foreign MINISTRY's press service to the TT."

"According to three of the largest Swedish travel agents (Ving, TUI and Apollo) are at least 30 swedes on location in Sri Lanka. A few live in the affected in Negombo, but not in the city centre. The other lives on the other tourist destinations."

"Sri Lanka consists of the main island of Ceylon, and some additional smaller islands. According to the latest census, amounts to the population to 21.7 million. A majority of the lankeserna (60 per cent) are buddhists, but the inhabitants profess also to hinduism (20%), islam (10 per cent) and christianity (10 percent)."

"The last few years, the country has experienced violence with religious overtones. Last year was attacked several mosques and businesses belonging to muslims. The escalation of violence led to the government imposed curfew on one of the affected towns. People from the buddhist majority was behind the violence on the country's muslims, who were accused of wanting to tvångsansluta people to islam."

"the Country has long been characterized by a conflict between ethnic groups tamils and the sinhalese. The tamils demanded already in the 1970s, autonomy and a state of their own in the country's eastern and northern parts. An armed radical group, the LTTE), was formed to achieve tamil autonomy. The conflict was dropped up in the 1980s after the LTTE killed several sinhala soldiers."

"Decades of alternately peace and war succeeded war. After a regeringsoffensiv 2009 was declared the LTTE defeated."

"the Country has a strong presidentmakt but the handlebars are elected directly by the people in a general election. At the same time, several scandals with the ingredients as the abuse of power, corruption and electoral fraud succeeded each other through the years. The President is ago 2015 Maithripala Sirisena from the United national party (UNP)."

"Source: NE, Foreign policy institutetu002FLandguiden"