Sri Lanka Buddhists Attack Colombo Mosque
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Sri Lankan police deployed commandos and imposed a curfew on a Colombo neighborhood after a Buddhist-led mob attacked a mosque, wounding four people, officials said.
Two police constables guarding the disputed mosque in Colombo's Grandpass area were among those wounded and hospitalized, Colombo National Hospital spokeswoman Pushpa Soysa said on Saturday.
"They had been hit by stones and also had cut injuries from falling glass debris," Soysa told AFP. "We have two constables and two Muslim men admitted following the attack."
Residents said temple bells summoned the faithful who went over to the neighbouring mosque and started pelting stones. Several homes in the area were also damaged, residents said.
Seventy percent of Sri Lanka's 20 million population follow Buddhism while Muslims are the second largest religious minority with just under 10 percent after Hindus who make up about 13 percent. Others are Christian.
Police sources said elite Special Task Force commandos were deployed to help maintain law and order following mob violence against the mosque.
