Sri Lanka Police says two persons have been arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) on suspicion of allegedly planning to attack Israeli nationals in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n
Security has been heightened at the popular surfing resort of Arugam Bay on Sri Lanka\u2019s eastern coast, following reports of a potential attack targeting foreign tourists, particularly Israelis.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is information about a possible attack targeting Israelis at a building where they are staying,\u201d police spokesman Deputy Inspector General Nihal Thalduwa was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
The increased security measures are focused on the Arugam Bay and Pottuvil areas, with around 500 police officers and Special Task Force personnel deployed.<\/p>\n
As a result, Israel\u2019s national security council has issued an urgent warning to Israeli citizens to leave popular tourist areas in southern Sri Lanka immediately, and classified the Arugam Bay region as a level four threat, advising Israelis to take precautions, such as concealing their Jewish identity and avoiding large gatherings.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Israeli security establishment is maintaining close communication with Sri Lankan security authorities and closely monitoring the situation,\u201d the council stated.
\nIt also advised Israelis in other parts of Sri Lanka to exercise caution and avoid holding large public gatherings.<\/p>\n
The security alert followed a warning from the US Embassy in Colombo, which said it had received credible information about a potential attack in Arugam Bay. \u201cUS citizens are strongly advised to avoid the area until further notice,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
The Russian Embassy and the UK issued a similar warnings to its citizens, urging them to remain vigilant and avoid large gatherings.<\/p>\n
Police have assured protection for all foreign nationals. \u201cGiven the war in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East, we are coordinating with intelligence services to ensure the safety of tourists,\u201d Thalduwa said.<\/p>\n
A hotline (1997) has also been established for tourists to report any suspicious activities.<\/p>\n
–With Agencies Inputs<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sri Lanka Police says two persons have been arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) on suspicion of allegedly planning to attack Israeli nationals in Sri Lanka. Security has been heightened at the popular surfing resort of Arugam Bay on Sri Lanka\u2019s eastern coast, following reports of a potential attack targeting foreign tourists, particularly Israelis. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[163,170],"class_list":["post-1592","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leadstories","category-local","tag-sri-lanka-police","tag-tid"],"yoast_head":"\n