Sri Lanka Easter bombing suspects are in a gun battle with the military after a raid on a makeshift bomb factory, local media report

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Sri Lanka Easter bombing suspects are in a gun battle with the military after a raid on a makeshift bomb factory, local media report

Sri Lankan policeman patrol Colombo, Sri Lanka

AP

Sri Lankan policeman patrol in a Muslim neighborhood before Friday prayers in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

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  • Suspects in the Sri Lanka Easter Sunday bombing are in a shootout with the military, a military spokesperson has said.
  • The military went to investigate an explosion in Ampara Sainthamaruthu, eastern Sri Lanka, and were fired upon at the scene.
  • The military were conducting a search in the area when the blast happened.
  • Local media report police have now examined a large bomb-making facility, which contained ISIS flags and bomb-making equiptment.
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People suspected of orchestrating the Sri Lanka Easter bombings are in a shoot out with the military, a spokesperson for the country's armed forces said.

Soldiers went in to investigate an explosion in the town of Ampara Sainthamaruthu, Batticaloaeastern, during a search operation, Reuters reported the spokesperson as saying, and were fired upon.

Local Sri Lankan media reports are suggesting the military were searching for a makeshift bomb factory in the area.

Footage broadcast by Sri Lankan media outlet News 1st appears to show piles of bomb-making equiptment and flags bearing the mark of the Islamic State.

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Sri Lankan security forces have been raiding homes across the country in the search for those responsible for the Easter Sunday attacks which killed more than 250 people.

The so-called Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Sri Lankan police have arrested over 70 suspects in connection with the blasts.

This is a developing news story, check back for updates.

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