The UK on Thursday urged the Sri Lanka government to take action to hold those responsible for anti-Muslim violence in Sri Lanka to account. 

"We share concerns about recent inter-communal violence in Sri Lanka. We support the government's determination to end it swiftly, using measures that are proportionate and respect human rights, and urge it to hold the perpetrators to account," the UK's representative to the UN Human Rights Council said in a statement to the Council at an Item 2 debate during the 37th session. 

Sinhala mobs attacked Muslim shops, homes and mosques in villages by Kandy this week. 

The UN Under Secretary General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday. 

Mr Feltman is undertaking a three day visit of the island where he is expected to meet with the president and prime minister, as well as civil society groups. 

He arrives as Sri Lanka continues to be in a state of emergency following anti-Muslim violence by Sinhala mobs in Kandy this week. 

Mothers of the disappeared, currently attending the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, held a silent demonstration in solidarity with other families marking one year of the protests in Mullaitivu this week. 

Sinhala Buddhist mobs have continued a wave of anti-Muslim violence in Sri Lanka, despite a massive security presence, a state of emergency and curfew imposed by the state, reports the Associated Press.

Mobs were still running through Muslim neighbourhoods in Kandy on Wednesday evening, according to reports.

One Muslim man described a gang of 50 people breaking into his small restaurant in Pilimathalawa and destroying the property. Similar attacks have reportedly taken place.

See more from the Associated Press here.

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister urged “all communities” to help keep the crisis on the island under control, after days of riots against Muslim, led by Sinhala Buddhists in Kandy.

“I urge all communities including Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims to control this tense situation and provide maximum support to ensure a secure environment for all the people,” said Ranil Wickremesinghe, in a special statement on Wednesday evening.

Despite days of rioting which led to travel warnings from the United Kingdom, United States and Australia, Mr Wickremesinghe insisted that “the rest of the country is relatively calm”.

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena has replaced Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed Ranjith Maddumma Bandara as the new Minister of Law and Order reports the Press Trust of India.

The senior politician was sworn in as the new minister in charge of the police. The decision comes as Sri Lanka’s police forces faced criticism for failing to prevent the spread of Buddhist-monk led anti-muslim violence.

The UN High Commissioner for human rights has said there should be no impunity for the incitement and perpetration of attacks against Muslims in Sri Lanka this week.

Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Wednesday, the High Commissioner, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said:

Reports that the severed head of a Muslim youth was found in a bag in Colombo have been circulating on social media since Wednesday morning.

According to Reuters, police have said they were investigating.

“The severed head of a youth was found in a mainly Muslim area in the capital Colombo, adding to tensions, residents said. Police said they were investigating,” Reuters reported.

Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom have all condemned the violence against Muslims in Kandy and other parts of Sri Lanka this week.

“Canada is deeply concerned by recent inter-communal violence in Sri Lanka, in which Muslims were targeted,” the country’s foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland said in a statement. 

Buddhist mobs continued to attack mosques and businesses belonging to the Muslim community, despite the imposition of a state of emergency on Tuesday, reports Reuters.

Sri Lanka’s police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said there had been several incidents occurring throughout Tuesday night in the Kandy area.

Speaking to Reuters Gunasekara, said,

“There was no information about how many civilians had been injured in the attacks.”