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Sri Lanka president Sirisena promises to 'eradicate terrorism', bring stability before election

Sri Lanka president Sirisena promises to 'eradicate terrorism', bring stability before election

Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena.

Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday said the security forces would "eradicate terrorism" and restore stability before a presidential election due for year-end, reported news agency Reuters.

Promising to bring to heel all militants linked to the Easter Sunday suicide attacks, he said "We have already identified all active members of the group and it's a case of now arresting them."

"Elections cannot be postponed, therefore before the elections I will bring about stability and I will eradicate terrorism," Sirisena told in an interview.

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The president said there were a further 25 to 30 "active members" linked to the bombings still at large and that he believed Islamic State was behind the April 21 attacks.

Nine suicide bombers, including a woman, carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on April 21, killing 253 people and injuring over 500 others.

(With inputs from Reuters)