At least 15 people have been killed, and more than two suspected terrorists are on the run after a gun battle between police and alleged militants in eastern Sri Lanka late Friday.
In the shootout with suspects, three explosions went off at a house in the town of Sainthamaruthu, Kalmunai, local police said. Authorities said that from the house, they seized a large storage of explosives, 100,000 ball bearings and ISIS uniforms, which clearly appeared to be a bomb making factory or storage facility.
The raids came right after the attacks on Easter Sunday, which claimed the life of 253 people, especially worshipers attending Easter Mass services.
A local extremist group, National Tawheed Jamath (NTJ), has been blamed for the bombings, but has not claimed the attacks. However, ISIS has claimed responsibility, but a connection between the perpetrators of the attacks and the terror group is still missing.
Out of the people killed in the house following the raid, six are suspected terrorists and nine are just civilians, nor excluding six children, Maj. Gen. Aruna Jayasekera said.
Authorities are also investigating the possible relationship of the civilians to the suspected terrorists.
Jayasekera reported that a wounded suspect escaped on a motorbike, and another suspected terrorist could also be on the run.
On Friday, a “major search operation” in the nation was announced by the Sri Lankan President.
According to a statement, he told a news conference, “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 increased tensions have put Sri Lankans on edge.