Buddhists attack Mosques, Muslim shops in Sri Lanka

The tense situation that had prevailed in the Ampara town in eastern Sri Lanka Monday night after a group of Buddhists attacked a Muslim shop and a mosque, has presently been brought under control, police said on Tuesday.

Hawzah News Agency (Ampara, Sri Lanka) - At least five people were wounded and several shops and a mosque damaged in the clash between majority Sinhalese Buddhists and minority Muslims, Sri Lankan police said, according to the Colombo Page.

A police spokesman said an investigation has been launched to apprehend persons responsible for the attack on the mosque and several shops in Ampara town.

Renewed tension has been growing between the two communities since last year, with some hardline Buddhist groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam and vandalizing Buddhist archaeological sites.