Amid tight Easter security measures, a gunman opened fire at a church in Sri Lanka on Friday, police confirmed. The incident occurred in Manampitiya, roughly 160 kilometers (100 miles) northeast of Colombo.
According to a police statement, the shooter caused damage to the church’s windows, but fortunately, no injuries were reported. Authorities have arrested a suspect.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the attack was driven by a personal dispute between the suspect and the church’s pastor,” the police noted.
Security forces, including armed police and military personnel, have been stationed at churches nationwide due to concerns of possible violence around Easter. This heightened alert follows the devastating 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which left 279 people dead—including 45 foreigners—and over 500 wounded. The attacks, carried out by suicide bombers, targeted three churches and three hotels, and were attributed to a local Islamist extremist group.
In remembrance, the Catholic Church plans to honor the victims on Monday by declaring them “Heroes of the Faith.”
Since the 2019 attacks, Sri Lanka’s Catholic community has continued to demand accountability. Church leaders accuse successive governments of shielding those responsible, citing multiple investigations that have exposed alleged ties between the bombers and military intelligence officials.
AFP
