The Sri Lankan president today told the media not to cover search operation by the security forces. 

In a press release issued by the president's media division the media was told not to broadcast footage, arguing that the media publicity was unwarranted and inconviencing communities. 

Two men have been arrested over violent clashes between Sinhala and Muslim groups in Poruthota, Negombo yesterday. 

Sri Lanka has appointed Major General Sathyapriya Liyanage, a man accused of overseeing war crimes a decade ago, as head of the Overall Operational Command in Colombo in the wake of the Easter Sunday attacks last week.

Sri Lanka’s president vowed to “eradicate terrorism” and press ahead with presidential polls scheduled for later this year, in the wake of the Easter Sunday bombings last week.

“Elections cannot be postponed, therefore before the elections I will bring about stability and I will eradicate terrorism,” Maithripala Sirisena told Reuters.

Sri Lanka has declared a curfew in Negombo, after a reported clash between a Sinhalese and Muslim group in the town earlier today.

Armed Sri Lankan troops were deployed to the scene as crowds began to gather along Thakkiya Road in Poruthota.

The Sri Lankan military arrested a man in Vavuniya earlier this week, after troops conducted search operations across several villages and homes, including of a Hindu temple.

Tamil civil society groups condemned the Easter Sunday attacks targeting Christians in Sri Lanka last week, as well as calling for “empathy and solidarity” with Muslim groups who face persecution on the island.

The statement, signed by eight different organisations, said the groups “express our wholehearted solidarity and support to our Christian communities, targeted in this cowardly act of violence by extremists”.

The United Kingdom has offered to help Sri Lanka set up a central intelligence body similar to the Joint Terrorism Analysing Centre in the wake of the Easter Sunday bombings by Islamist extremists supportive of Islamic State. 

Sri Lankan immigration authorities have deport over 600 people for alleged visa violations since the Easter Sunday bombings. 

The figure includes those authorities say were working as Islamic preachers despite entering the country on a tourist visa. 

An Immigration Department official reportedly told the Sunday Times, "at least 200 foreigners were in involved in Islamic preaching in Sri Lanka". 

The owner of a tea shop at the University of Jaffna was arrested by Sri Lankan security forces, accused of keeping a photograph of the medical student who fasted unto death, Thileepan. 

According to reports in a Lebanese website, Al Ahed News, Saudia Arabia alerted its envoy in Colombo about the Easter Sunday bombings five days before the attacks. 

Sri Lanka reiterated that it would not require emergency bail-out funding after the devastating Easter Sunday bombings, outlining tax amnesty plans to support the tourism industry. 

Sri Lankan police have made an application to the Ministry of Defence requesting permission to detain and investigate the two students under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, sources at Koppay station told the Tamil Guardian.