Serial Blasts In SRI LANKA

Serial blasts across Sri Lanka

Mains-GS-3-Security

1. Over 200 people were killed and nearly 500 injured in a series of blasts that shook Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.

2. Churches and luxury hotels were targeted in the deadliest incidents since the civil war ended a decade ago.

3. Eight blasts occurred in and around the capital Colombo and in the eastern city of Batticaloa when large groups gathered at churches for Easter services.

4. Most of the blasts appear to have been suicide bombings. No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts.

5. Investigating authorities in Sri Lanka are yet to disclose the names of the suspects or the alleged perpetrators.

6. The scale and savagery of the attacks that clearly targeted Christians have left Sri Lankans devastated.

Curb on Social Media

1. Sri Lankan law enforcement have urged the public to stay indoors following series of blasts.

2. Sri Lankan government blocked social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to prevent the spread of false news reports.

3. The security forces were conducting comprehensive investigations into the explosions, and that the social media block would continue until investigations were concluded.

Crisis Response Tool

1. Facebook has activated its Crisis Response tool for the blasts.

2. The feature provides a repository for news about the incident and allows people to mark themselves safe and search for friends who may have been affected.

3. Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is located to the north of the capital Colombo, on the outskirts of the city of Negombo, which was the site of at least one bombing.

Sri Lanka’s Recent Past

1. Sri Lanka had been at war for decades with Tamil separatists, but extremist violence had been on the wane since the civil war ended 10 years ago.

2. It has about 22 million people of Christian, Muslim and Hindu populations forming between about eight and 12 per cent. It is predominantly a Buddhist majority nation.