Sri Lankan govt lifts ban on social media, security remains tight after bombings

The Sri Lankan government has lifted a ban on social media platforms that was intended to stop the spread of rumors after the Easter Sunday bombings, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing a source from the president’s office.

The ban on platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Viber has been lifted with immediate effect, the source said.

Security in Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka remains tight after the April 21 suicide bomb attacks on hotels and churches which killed more than 250 people, including 42 foreign nationals.

The US ambassador to Sri Lanka, Alaina Teplitz, said on Tuesday that some of the Islamist militants involved in the bombings were likely still at large and could be planning fresh attacks.