In the attacks of Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka not 359, but 253 people died. The Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka said that 253 people were killed, not as last reported 359.
The number of dead was corrected because, according to the Ministry of Health, several mutilated bodies had been counted twice. According to the attacks on several hotels and Christian churches 485 injured were admitted to the hospitals. 149 of them were hospitalized on Thursday.
Seven Sri Lankan suicide bombers blew themselves up almost simultaneously on Easter Sunday in three churches in several cities and three luxury hotels in the capital, Colombo. A few hours later, two other terrorists detonated bombs in a small hotel and residential building in suburban Colombo. Another attack on a five-star hotel failed.
According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, 40 foreigners were among the victims. At first it was unclear whether this number would change.
The terrorist militia IS had claimed the suicide attacks for themselves. The authenticity of the message could not be checked independently. As a perpetrator Sri Lanka makes a local Islamist group responsible, which must have had help from abroad. The government estimated the attacks were in retaliation for the mosque attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March.
The US embassy in Sri Lanka warned of possible further attacks on houses of worship. These should be avoided from Friday to Sunday, tweeted the embassy, citing the Sri Lankan authorities. "Stay alert and avoid larger crowds," it said.
According to authorities from Thursday, there were 76 suspects in custody. The government warned that suspects were still on the run. Some of them are in possession of explosives. The police released photographs and names of six suspects wanted in connection with the attacks and asked the population for clues. There were three women and three men.