Lankan troops on high alert after fresh communal violence

Sri Lanka Buddhist monks have denounced the anti-Muslim riots. Pic/AFP

Sri Lankan troops yesterday guarded mosques ahead of Friday prayers and stepped up security amid growing fears that the communal violence between majority Sinhalese Buddhists and minority Muslims could spread across the country. Anti-Muslim riots, since Monday, have left three people dead and damaged several homes, businesses and mosques in the Kandy district.

The violence erupted after the death of a man from the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese majority last week. To rein in communal violence, a state of emergency has been imposed by President Maith-ripala Sirisena's government. Police said the situation had been largely peaceful in Kandy during the last 12 hours. Sirisena, under attack for alleged police inaction, rep-laced Prime Minister Wickreme-singhe as law and order minister.

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No. of people detained for inciting violence

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