Sri Lankan military finds 15 bodies, including 6 kids, after shootout at suspected militant hideout
A total of 15 bodies, including six children, have been found at the site of a prolonged gun battle between military police and suspected Islamic militants believed to be linked to Sunday’s church and hotel bombings in Sri Lanka.
Some more exclusive photos of #Kalmunai , #Sainthamaruthu Blast #lka #SriLanka #KalmunaiAttack pic.twitter.com/8Gs92O4bbx
— Gobi Thala🔭 (@thisisGobinath) April 27, 2019
The dead were discovered in a house in Sainthamaruthu as authorities cleared the area on Saturday morning following the overnight shootout, which police and military had earlier said killed four gunmen and a civilian. Fighting broke out on Friday night between the troops and suspected terrorists believed to be connected with the Easter Sunday attacks, which targeted several churches and luxury hotels, killing 253 and injuring hundreds more.
#SriLanka:
— NewsNow360 (@NewsNow360) April 27, 2019
15 bodies (6 men, 6 children & 3 women) recovered from the house where an explosion took place, amidst heavy shooting between Armed forces & suspected gunmen, in #Sainthamaruthu. Injured woman & child hospitalised:Police#Lka #Kalmunai #SriLankaAttacks #EasterAttacksLK pic.twitter.com/4LLuvSF1cm
Nearly 10,000 soldiers are searching the country for suspects linked to the bombings, and over 70 individuals have been detained so far.
The shootout began on Friday night in the coastal town of Sammanthurai, 200 miles from the capital, Colombo, after police tipped off soldiers to a suspected safe house.
Military spokesman Sumith Atapattu said that as troops headed towards the safe house three explosions were triggered and gunfire began.
"Troops retaliated and raided the safe house where a large cache of explosives had been stored," he said in a statement.
He said the militants were suspected members of the National Towheed Jama'at (NTJ), which has been blamed for last Sunday's attacks.
A police spokesman said that three suspected suicide bombers were among the 15 dead after the gun battle.
Meanwhile, the military says security forces have recovered explosives, detonators, "suicide kits," military uniforms and Islamic State group flags during the raids.
Security forces found cache of arms and explosives in Samanthurai#SriLanka #SriLankaattacks
— BBC News Sinhala (@bbcsinhala) 26 April 2019
“සමන්තුරේ සෝදිසි මෙහෙයුම” pic.twitter.com/ESCk4pNdEQ
Since the suicide bombings at three churches and four hotels on Easter Sunday, in which more than 250 people were killed, police have been carrying out raids across Sri Lanka to find more details about the perpetrators and their supporters.
This is nuts.
— Amarnath Amarasingam (@AmarAmarasingam) 26 April 2019
A major police raid in eastern #SriLanka found ISIS flag, and bombing making materials. pic.twitter.com/FFXymJFXd2
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks and Sri Lankan police are searching for suspects thought to have links with the terror group.
Police have detained at least 76 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt, in their investigations so far.
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