Muslims in Mannar held a hartal on Friday, closing businesses and shops to demonstrate their support for Muslims in Kandy facing attacks by Sinhala Buddhist mobs. 

Muslim shops, homes and mosques in villages by Kandy were attacked earlier this week, leading to the government calling a state of emergency and imposing restrictions on social media use and internet access. 

Reports of attacks against Muslims continue despite the state of emergency however. 

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) on Thursday called on the Sri Lankan government to act switfly to ensure those responsible for anti-Muslim violence in Kandy are prosecuted. 

"The Sri Lankan government must act swiftly and in line with human rights to prosecute those responsible for recent communal violence."

Evidence has emerged of members of Sri Lanka’s Special Task Force, who were deployed to quell anti-Muslim violence, collaborating with rioters, reports Colombo Telegraph.

A video obtained by Colombo Telegraph, shows a rioter humiliating a Muslim victim, whilst the Special Task Force personnel look and laugh.

Families of the disappeared marked one year since they started protesting in Mullaitivu today.

Commenting on recent anti-Muslim violence by Sinhala mobs in Sri Lanka, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Sri Lanka could handle the situation internally, however added that Beijing hoped the government would ensure the security of Chinese citizens on the island. 

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. 

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.

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.

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 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.