An island-wide curfew has been declared by Sri Lankan miltiary and police following blasts in Batticaloa and Colombo on Easter Sunday.

At a press conference earlier today, Sri Lanka's State Minister of Defence, Ruwan WIjewardene said the government would impose an island wide curfew for the time being. 

While the curfew was initially announced as in operation between 6pm and 6am, the government took the decision to bring the curfew forward with immediate effect.

At least 160 have been killed in eight explosions, with the death toll rising.

The Prime Minister of India has condemned the bombings of churches and hotels in Batticaloa and Colombo which have killed over 150 this morning.

“Strongly condemn the horrific blasts in Sri Lanka,” Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter. “There is no place for such barbarism in our region. India stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. My thoughts are with the bereaved families and prayers with the injured.”

Eight explosions have been reported so far with the death toll rising. British and American citizens are reported to be among several foreign citizens killed.

World Leaders have condemned the Easter Sunday bomb attack in Sri Lanka in statements released today.

In a tweet this morning Pakistan's Prime Minister, Imran Khan, said:

"Strongly condemn the horrific terrorist attack in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday resulting in precious lives lost & hundreds injured. My profound condolences go to our Sri Lankan brethren. Pakistan stands in complete solidarity with Sri Lanka in their hour of grief".

The Australian Prime Minister, Mr Scott Morrison, said on Twitter:

<p>Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain’s Labour Party, has condemned the Easter Sunday bomb blasts in Sri Lanka in a statement.&nbsp;</p> <p>Corbyn tweeted, "I'm appalled by the horrific attacks in Sri Lanka, on Easter Sunday, the most important day in the Christian calendar.</p> <p>I stand with the victims, their families, the people of Sri Lanka and Christians around the world, We must defeat this hatred with unity, love and respect."</p> <p>Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, also condemned the attack tweeting:<br>

<p>The British Prime Minister has condemned the Easter Sunday bomb attacks in Sri Lanka in a statement released today.</p> <p>In a tweet this morning, Ms Theresa May, <a href="https://twitter.com/theresa_may/status/1119881548373868544?s=21">said,</a></p> <p>“The acts of violence against churches and hotels in Sri Lanka are truly appalling, and my deepest sympathies go out to all of those affected at this tragic time.</p> <p>We must stand together to make sure that no one should ever have to practise their faith in fear.”</p>

Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena said that the security forces had been deployed to churches that had been struck by bomb blasts on Easter Sunday morning, as the death toll from the series of explosions continue to rise.

In a statement this morning, Sirisena appealed for calm and said the security forces had began investigations into the blasts. Reports suggest that at least 200 soldiers have been deployed to churches affected by the blast. 

Developing story

Updated 20:00 GMT, April 24

The death toll of the bombings rose to 359, as Sri Lanka's prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said there were still suspects with explosives at large. Sri Lanka's parliament implemented emergency regulations without a vote, which will give the President and security forces further sweeping powers. 

The spokesperson for the Tamil National Alliance MA Sumanithrian, urged for unity and restraint, whilst calling on the governor of the Eastern Province to be investigated for his links with the National Thowheed Jamaath, a lesser known jihadist group that has been blamed by Sri Lankan authorities for the Easter Sunday bombings that have killed over 300 people. Although the exact role of Isis in the attacks is yet to be established, it is though that the group’s involvement reoriented the local attackers away from bombs directed at destroying major Buddhist monuments and towards targets more closely associated with its global jihadist ideology, reports the Guardian.

Accusations of the Sri lankan government’s failure to act on international intel further solidified, as the Guardian reported international sources confirming that intel had been provided to Sri Lanka in advance of the attacks. By the end of the day a total of 80 suspects had already been detained in links to the attacks. 

 

Across the Tamil homeland, commemoration events were held to mark the anniversary of the death of Annai Poopathy, a Tamil woman who fasted to death 31 years ago n protest against the atrocities committed by Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF).

At least two Tamil women who were working as de-miners in Kilinochchi have been admitted to  Jaffna Teaching Hospital’s intensive care unit, after a landmine detonated on Thursday evening.

A senior Tamil journalist has been admitted to hospital with injuries after a vehicle collision in Jaffna on Saturday.