The jihadist group Islamic State (IS) today claimed responsibility for the series of attacks against churches and luxury hotels on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka, which caused the death of more than 320 people and injured more than 500, according to the latest count from the country’s authorities.A statement from the Islamic State disseminated through the Telegram messaging network, whose authenticity could not be verified, stated that seven terrorists committed the attacks that, according to the extremist group, left nearly 350 dead and 650 injured, including three members. of the Sri Lankan security forces.The note, headed by the Islamic State and not one of its regional affiliates, detailed that its men attacked several churches and hotels where followers of the “crusader coalition” were located, and in their attacks they used explosive belts and vests, as well as bombs, and confronted the Police.The number of victims according to the Islamic State is “about 350 Christians dead and 650 wounded”, among them citizens of the countries of the international coalition, led by the United States and made up of 75 nations, which acts in Syria and Iraq against the jihadists.Previously, the Amaq information agency, affiliated with the extremists, assured that “the executors of the attack that targeted citizens of the coalition and Christian countries before yesterday are fighters of the Islamic State.”Sri Lanka Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara indicated that the death toll in the attacks increased to 310 and more than 500 injured. These data rise with each new count by the country’s authorities.Among the deceased are at least 31 foreigners, including two Spaniards, one Bangladeshi, two Chinese, eight Indians, one French, one Japanese, one Dutch, one Portuguese, two Saudis, two Turks, six British, two Anglo-Americans and two Australians.For its part, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) reported that 45 children are on the list of those who lost their lives.The Sri Lankan government linked the attacks to the little-known local Islamist terrorist group National Thowheeth Jamath (NTJ), although it warned of possible foreign links.In Sri Lanka, the Christian population represents 7,4%, while Buddhists are 70,2%, Hindus 12,6% and Muslims 9,7%, according to 2011 census data.Attacks of this magnitude had not taken place in Sri Lanka since the civil war between the Tamil guerrillas and the Government, a conflict that lasted 26 years and ended in 2009, and which caused, according to UN data, more than 40.000 civilian deaths. EFEPost navigation
