Friday 18 / July / 2025
Colombo: The bodies of 15 people were found at the site of a fierce gun battle between security forces and suspected terrorists, according to authorities in Sri Lanka.
A police spokesman said that the bodies of six men, three women, and six children were recovered from the site in Sainthamaruthu, Kalmunai in Ampara District. The spokesman also stated that three suspected bombers were among the deceased.
The incident occured Friday after shooting erupted between security forces and a group of armed men during a search and cordon operation related to the Easter Sunday attacks.
Reports confirmed that the security forces, responding to a intelligence tip-off from police, were heading to check a safe house when suspected terrorists triggered three explosions and began firing.
Troops retaliated and raided the safe house where a large cache of explosives had been stored, the Sri Lanka Army said.
A woman and child found injured in the incident have been hospitalized. Four bodies suspected to be that of the bombers were recovered at the site.
Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said that search operations were underway.
One civilian died in the crossfire and two of the gunmen were also killed.
According to Military Spokesman Brigadier Sumith Atapattu, troops recovered explosives, detonators, gelignite sticks, acid bottles, suicide kits, military uniforms, and terrorist flags from the safe house. The dead gunmen have yet to be identified.
A curfew was declared over Kalmunai, Chavalakade and Samanthurai.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's health ministry said the death toll had been revised to between 250-253 and not 359 as previously reported. According to the ministry, the severity of the attacks and the multitude of body parts led to a miscalculation.
