More than 15 people killed in an encounter between Sri Lankan Police and suspected terrorists
More than at least 15 people have been killed in a shootout between Sri Lankan Police and alleged militants in eastern Sri Lanka on Friday, i.e., April 26, 2019.
Of the 15 people, 9 were civilians while 6 were suspected terrorists. There were 3 explosions during the shootout with suspects at a house in the town of Sainthamaruthu, Kalmunai. During the encounter, the police has seized explosives, 1,00,000 ball bearings, ISIS uniforms and flags from the site.
The raids conducted by police were a part of crackdown on terrorism after more than 390 people were killed and more than 500 injured in 8 blasts on Easter. Two terrorists have managed to run away in the shootout.
Although a local terrorist group, National Thowheeth Jama’ ath (NTJ), is assumed to be behind the terror attack, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) has claimed the responsibility of the attack. However, a link between the attackers and the terror group has not been established.
One of the 6 suspected dead terrorists have been identified as Mohamed Niyas, who was a key member of NJT.
He is also the brother-in-law of the alleged ringleader of the Easter Sunday attacks, Zahran Hashim. A curfew has been imposed in the eastern cities of Kalmunai, Chavalakade and Sammanthurai after the shootout.
The President of Sri Lanka – Maithripala Sirisena said, “Every household in the country will be checked. The lists of permanent residents of every house will be established to ensure no unknown persons could live anywhere.”
The President – Maithripala Sirisena has blamed Prime Minister – Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Government for weakening the intelligence system by focusing on the prosecution of military officers over alleged war crimes during a decades-long civil war with Tamil separatists that ended in 2009.
He had also fired Wickremesinghe from office in October 2018 over political differences. But the latter was reinstated after the orders of Supreme Court.
In a separate raid in the same town, ISIS flags, 150 sticks of gelignite explosive, thousands of steel pellets and a drone camera have been recovered. More than 10,000 soldiers have been deployed to carry out search operations across the country.
Besides, the Archbishop of Colombo – Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has said that all catholic Sunday masses will remain suspended until further notice. The Government has also requested the Muslims to stay at home during Friday prayers. For the records, both Christianity and Islam are minority religions in Sri Lanka, with each accounting for under 10% of the total population. The majority of the population follow Buddhism.
