KABU (SW) – Afghanistan has strongly condemned the string of deadly Easter Sunday explosions in Sri Lanka.
“On behalf of the Afghan people, President @ashrafghani strongly condemns the #SriLankaBlasts, and sends his deepest condolences to the victims and their families who lost their dear ones on this sacred #EasterSunday”, President Ashraf Ghani’s office tweeted.
Attacking churches and hotels and targeting worshipers is appalling, and Afghanistan strongly condemns this heinous act of terror. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families, and we stand in solidarity with Sri Lanka on this dark day, it added.
At least 156 people were killed and nearly 500 injured as a series of near-simultaneous explosions ripped through three churches and three high-end hotels in three Sri Lankan cities on Easter Sunday. A seventh blast near another hotel in Colombo, hours after the first series of attacks, claimed two more lives.
The blasts hit four hotels and one church in Colombo, while two other churches were targeted in Negombo and Batticaloa, police said. The death toll included worshippers and hotel guests, and is expected to rise.
The nature of the blasts was not immediately clear, but an official speaking on condition of anonymity said police suspects the blasts at the churches in Colombo and Batticaloa were carried out by suicide bombers, wire services reported.
There have been no immediate claims of responsibility.
ENDS
