SAINTHAMARUTHU, (Sri Lanka): At least 15 people were killed and two suspected terrorists on the run after a cross-firing between police and alleged militants in eastern Sri Lanka late Friday.
Local police said three explosions were heard during the shootout with suspects at a house in the town of Sainthamaruthu, Kalmunai.
Meanwhile, authorities recovered a large cache of explosives, 100,000 ball bearings and ISIS uniforms and flags from the house, which appeared to be a bomb making factory or storage facility.
On April 21, eight explosions rocked Sri Lankan cities of Colombo, Negombo, Kochchikede, and Batticaloa amid Easter Sunday celebrations, killing 253 people including many worshipers attending Easter Mass services.
National Tawheed Jamath (NTJ), a local extremist group, has been blamed for the bombings, but has not claimed the attacks. ISIS claimed responsibility, but a link between the attackers and the terror group has not been proven.
Of the 15 people found dead in the house following the raid, six are suspected terrorists and nine are civilians, including six children, Maj. Gen. Aruna Jayasekera said.
One of the six suspected terrorists found dead has been identified as Mohamed Niyas, known to the authorities as a prominent member of the NTJ. Earlier in a statement from the army, Niyas was identified as the brother-in-law of the alleged ringleader of the Easter Sunday attacks, Zahran Hashim.
(Agencies)
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