Sri Lanka Explosions Target Churches and Hotels, Killing More Than 200

More than 200 people were killed and hundreds more were injured after multiple explosions tore through Sri Lanka in a series of coordinated blasts that struck hotels and churches. It marked the country's worst violence since the end of its civil war in 2009.

The blasts started as people began gathering for mass on Sunday for Easter. In Colombo, the capital, blasts were reported at St. Anthony's Shrine and three high-end hotels, the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury.

Explosions were also reported at St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo, north of the capital, and at Zion Church in the Eastern Province of Batticaloa. A police spokesman, Ruwan Gunasekara, said at least 207 people were killed and 450 wounded in the blasts.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Sri Lanka's defense minister, Ruwan Wijewardena, says seven suspects linked to the explosions have been arrested. Wijewardena described the blasts as a terrorist attack carried out by religious extremists.

The government announced a curfew after the explosions, which took immediate effect. It also chose to block social media sites, including Facebook and Instagram, to stop the spread of false information.

Sri Lanka's president, Maithripala Sirisena, issued a statement calling for people to remain calm and support the authorities in their investigations, according to the BBC.

St. Sebastian's Church posted photos of the aftermath on Facebook, pleading for relatives to "come and help if your family members are there."

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera tweeted that the bomb blasts killed "many innocent people" and seemed "to be a well coordinated attempt to create murder, mayhem and anarchy."

On Twitter, Harsha de Silva, a member of parliament, said there were "many casualties including foreigners."

During his Easter Sunday mass at the Vatican, Pope Francis took time to offer condolences to victims of what he called "such a cruel act of violence."

President Trump tweeted a message of support for Sri Lanka on Sunday morning, saying, "The United States offers heartfelt condolences to the great people of Sri Lanka. We stand ready to help!"

NPR's Lauren Frayer reports that the violence comes just before the 10-year anniversary of the end of Sri Lanka's civil war.

This is a developing story. Details may change as more information becomes available. [Copyright 2019 NPR]