Information about victims trickles out after Sri Lanka terror attacks

The identities of those killed in a series of suicide bombings in Sri Lanka are beginning to filter through.

More than 290 people were killed in the terror attacks, which targeted Christian churches and luxury hotels in the capital Colombo and across the country.

There were six suicide bombings and seven attackers in total, with several further explosions at various locations in the country.

Sri Lankan police say 13 people have been arrested in connection with the attacks, and the Sri Lankan government has pointed the finger at a local Muslim group, National Thowheeth Jama'ath.

Amidst the ever-rising death toll, government officials have struggled to produce much information about those who have died. However foreign embassies and media outlets, have published details about those who were killed or are missing.

Officials said 35 of the dead were foreign citizens. Including citizens of India, Turkey, the US, and the UK.

Among the Sri Lankan victims identified were four employees of the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo, which was targeted by a suicide bomber.

On Twitter, Mevan Peiris, a curator at Colombo Shapers, posted images of the four. They were named as B.A.D.N Shantha, G.M.D Sanjeewani, M.H.M Ibrahim, and M.N.M Nisthar.

“Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu - Terrorism has no Religion,” referring to their apparent religion.

Others killed, included celebrity chef Shantha Mayadunne and her daughter, Nisagnga. The pair were staying at Colombo’s Shangri-La Hotel.

Foreign victims

Officials from Sri Lanka’s northern neighbour, India, said that five of its citizens were confirmed to have died, with its embassy identifying two victims: G Hanumantharayappa and M Rangappa, NDTV reported.

Two further victims were named as P.S. Raseena and Lakshmi, according to The Hindu.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said two Turkish engineers were killed in the blast, identifying them as Serhan Selcuk Narici and Yigit Ali Cavus.

Cavusoglu said Ankara was in touch with the families of the deceased and will help ensure fast repatriation of their bodies.

The victims also included British mother and son, Anita Nicholson, 42, and her 11-year-old son, Alex Nicholson. Anita’s husband Ben survived the attack, while the fate of their daughter has still not been confirmed.

According to the BBC, at least 8 Britons are confirmed to have been killed.

The US has also confirmed that ‘several’ of its citizens had died in the attacks.

The terrorist attack in Sri Lanka was one of the most devastating in recent years and the biggest to hit the country since the end of the war between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009.