Sri Lanka's Easter Bombing Investigation Takes New Turn Amidst Allegations Against Retired Major General Suresh Salle

Kathmandu. The investigation into the 2019 Easter bomb blasts, considered the deadliest in Sri Lanka's history, has taken a new turn after seven years. Serious questions have arisen about the official account of the incident after the government accused retired Major General Suresh Salle, who once led the country's state intelligence service, of being a planner of the attack.

In the suicide bombings targeting churches and five-star hotels on April 21, 2019, 279 people were killed and more than 500 were injured. Among the dead were 45 foreign nationals. They included citizens from Australia, the United Kingdom, China, Denmark, the Netherlands, Japan, and the United States. At that time, the government's conclusion was made public that seven Sunni Muslim suicide attackers carried out the attack inspired by the Islamic State (IS).