The death toll in Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday bomb attacks has risen to 359, police said on Wednesday.
Extensive search operations were carried out and several people arrested in connection with the attacks on Tuesday, Police spokesman Ruwan Guansekera said. “The number of death now is 359,” Guansekera said.
Seven suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, in the country’s worst terror attack.
Meanwhile, the state minister of defence Ruwan Wijewardena said that the ringleader is believed to be one of the suicide bombers.
Speaking at a news conference in Colombo, Wijewardena said it was believed by the security forces that the bombers were “well educated” individuals, adding that one of them studied in the UK and Australia.
Wijewardena said there were nine suicide bombers, of which eight have been identified. Two safe houses were found after the attacks and at least 100 people were arrested in connection with the bombings, the minister added.
