Sri Lanka has officially removed the Maldives from its list of countries considered a threat to national security, according to reports published by The Guardian newspaper in Sri Lanka.
The development comes following the official visit of Maldivian President Anurakumara Dissanayake to Sri Lanka. A Maldivian government official told the paper that the decision was made during high-level discussions between the two countries.
The Maldives was previously included on the list concerning the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which claimed over 250 lives and shook the region. At the time, media reports speculated about possible links between the attackers and certain foreign individuals, including some reportedly connected to the Maldives.
However, the Maldivian government has consistently denied any direct involvement of Maldivian nationals in the attacks. Despite this, Sri Lankan police had earlier identified four Sri Lankans as being indirectly linked to the bombings, as reported in February 2020.
The attacks were carried out by nine members of the extremist group National Tawhid Jamaat. Some Sri Lankan newspapers had previously alleged that these individuals had ties with Maldivians, though such claims were never officially verified.
Removing the Maldives from the threat list marks a step forward in rebuilding bilateral trust and strengthening cooperation between the two neighboring nations.
The development comes following the official visit of Maldivian President Anurakumara Dissanayake to Sri Lanka. A Maldivian government official told the paper that the decision was made during high-level discussions between the two countries.
The Maldives was previously included on the list concerning the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which claimed over 250 lives and shook the region. At the time, media reports speculated about possible links between the attackers and certain foreign individuals, including some reportedly connected to the Maldives.
However, the Maldivian government has consistently denied any direct involvement of Maldivian nationals in the attacks. Despite this, Sri Lankan police had earlier identified four Sri Lankans as being indirectly linked to the bombings, as reported in February 2020.
The attacks were carried out by nine members of the extremist group National Tawhid Jamaat. Some Sri Lankan newspapers had previously alleged that these individuals had ties with Maldivians, though such claims were never officially verified.
Removing the Maldives from the threat list marks a step forward in rebuilding bilateral trust and strengthening cooperation between the two neighboring nations.
