Sri Lanka state of emergency

The government of Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency on March 6 after days of violence between Buddhists and Muslims in the suburbs of Kandy. During the state of emergency, a curfew was imposed.

The violence began after reports that a Buddhist man was beaten by a Muslim mob in late February. In response, groups of Buddhists damaged Muslim homes, shops and mosques. During the violence, one Buddhist was reportedly killed by a group of Muslims, and the body of a Muslim man was found in a burnt mosque.

On March 7, police fired tear gas at a group of Buddhists during an anti-Muslim riot. The riot prompted the nation’s government to call in the military to restore order in the city.