WASHINGTON: Several Americans were among more than 200 people killed on Sunday in a series of bombings of hotels and churches in Sri Lanka, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. “While many details of the attacks are still emerging, we can confirm that several US citizens were among those killed,” he said in a statement. Earlier reports citing Sri Lankan officials said the number of dead foreigners as between 27 and 35, including Americans, British and Dutch. A White House statement said that “the United States condemns in the strongest terms the outrageous terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka.”Since the 26-year civil war in Sri Lanka ended in 2009, the country — noted for its friendliness, natural beauty, its temples and mix of cultures — had drawn increasing numbers of foreign tourists. The Lonely Planet guide last year named it “the best country in the world to visit in 2019.”

Source: Pakistan Today April 21, 2019 16:18 UTC