SRI LANKA: Death toll revised downward by 100 after suicide bomb attack

Sri Lanka has reduced the death toll from last Sunday’s wave of bombings by more than 100, to about 253 after blaming it on a calculation error and difficulty in identifying victims.

Several people were killed and hundreds injured when suicide bombers struck hotels and churches in Colombo, Negombo and the eastern city of Batticaloa.

Majority of those killed were Sri Lankan but dozens of foreigners were also among the casualties, BBC reports.

Read more: Former US VP Joe Biden announces presidential run for 2020

It was gathered that nine people are suspected of orchestrating the attacks while police have issued photographs of seven people wanted in connection with the attacks.

The authorities blamed a local Islamist extremist group, National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ), soon after the blasts, but say the bombers must have had external help.

The group allegedly published a video showing eight men but provided no evidence of direct involvement.

According to the health ministry, all autopsies had been completed late on Thursday and it transpired that some victims had been counted more than once.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now