Sri Lanka government declares curfew, shuts down social media access

The Sri Lankan government declared a curfew with immediate effect, junior defence minister Ruwan Wijewardene said on Sunday, following eight explosions that killed 207 people, and mostly targeted churches and hotels.

An eighth explosion has taken place in Sri Lanka, at a housing scheme in Dematagoda. The government has imposed curfews and shut down social media access and messaging services. The culprits have been identified as “religious extremists” according to the minister of defence.

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"A curfew will be imposed until things settle down," he told reporters in Colombo.

Also Read-Total death toll in Sri Lanka blasts rises to 207

Government officials also said major social media networks and messaging apps, including Facebook and WhatsApp, have been blocked inside the country to prevent misinformation and rumours.