Sri Lanka imposes island-wide curfew after deadly blasts on Easter Sunday

The Sri Lankan Defense Ministry has imposed a nightly curfew following the eight explosions that killed around 160 people and injured as many as 400 on Easter Sunday.

In a statement for the media, State Minister of Defense Ruwan Wijewardene said the curfew will remain in place “until things settle down.” He said the culprits of the attacks on Sri Lankan hotels and churches “have been identified” and will be taken into custody. He did not name those responsible, however.

The use of social media has been temporarily banned as part of the curfew, according to Harsha de Silva, the minister of economic reforms and public distribution. Locals are required to stay indoors for 12 hours – from 6pm to 6am.

Six initial explosions that rocked three churches and three hotels reportedly killed 156 people and injured some 400, media reported, citing police. The blasts struck on Easter Sunday, a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Christ.

Most of the targets are located in or near Colombo, Sri Lanka’s largest city and commercial capital. Shortly afterwards, two more explosions were reported, one of them killing two more people. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the apparently coordinated bombings.

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