Sri Lanka attacks: Deadly explosions as raid on suspected safe house descends into gun battle

‘Every household in the country will be checked,’ president says as search operation turns violent

At least 15 people, including six children, have been killed in Sri Lanka after a military raid on a suspected terrorist safe house descended into a gun battle.

The raid turned violent after three explosions hit the building on Friday night, amid fears of further attacks in the country.

Officials believe the blasts were caused by militants blowing themselves up as the search was underway.

The suspected terrorists then opened fire on security forces during the raid.

“Major search operation has been undertaken. Every household in the country will be checked,” Maithripala Sirisena, Sri Lanka’s president, had said shortly before the gun battle.

“The lists of permanent residents of every house will be established to ensure no unknown persons could live anywhere.”

Officials said Friday’s search operation was linked to the Easter Sunday bombings, in which hundreds of people were killed.

The suspected Islamist safe house was found near the coastal town of Sammanthurai.

A shootout followed the blasts, with at least three people wounded in addition to those killed.

One woman and a girl were found critically injured inside the building and have been taken to hospital.

Earlier, the military said at least one civilian had been killed in the attack.

Photographs of the charred bodies of two young children killed at the safe house were taken by The Associated Press.

Ruwan Gunasekara, a police spokesperson, said officers in Sammanthurai had found explosive materials in the area, including 150 sticks of blasting gelatin and 100,000 small metal balls, as well as a van and clothing suspected to be used by those involved in the Easter bombings.

According to Sri Lankan media reports, the safe house is also believed to have been used to manufacture suicide vests.

The Easter Sunday suicide attacks, claimed by the Isis, targeted churches and hotels and killed at least 250 people.

The government said nine homegrown, well-educated suicide bombers carried out the attacks, eight of whom had been identified and one of whom was a woman.

Sri Lankan authorities are trying to track down 140 people believed linked to Isis. Police have detained at least 76 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt, in their investigations so far.

A curfew has been imposed across eastern Sri Lanka, Catholic masses have been cancelled indefinitely and Muslims have been urged to pray at home, amid fears of further violence.

Additional reporting by agencies