"Leave my country alone", Lankan Prez Sirisena to ISIS chief Baghdadi

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Press Trust of India Colombo
Last Updated : May 01 2019 | 6:25 PM IST

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena Wednesday asked Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to "leave my country alone" after the dreaded Islamic State leader claimed the massive suicide bombings in the island nation was a revenge attack for the fall of the Syrian town of Baghuz, the terror group's final bastion.

Sirisena also warned it may be possible Islamic State had launched a "new strategy" by targeting smaller countries, Sky News Wednesday quoted him as saying.

He said authorities were aware of a "small group" of Sri Lankans who had travelled abroad to receive training from Islamic State over the past decade.

In the Sky News interview, President Sirisena said he had a message for Islamic State: "Leave my country alone."

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First Published: May 01 2019 | 6:25 PM IST

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