Buddhists mob attack Muslim homes despite state of emergency

📰 HN9: Buddhist mobs damage 20 Muslim homes in Sri Lanka despite State of Emergency; social media networks blockedReligious violence flared anew in the hills of central Sri Lanka on Wednesday despite a state of emergency, with Buddhist mobs sweeping through towns and villages, burning Muslim homes and businesses and leaving victims barricaded inside mosques. The government ordered popular social media networks blocked in an attempt to stop the violence from spreading, and thousands of police and soldiers spread out across the worst-hit areas.The police also ordered a curfew across much of the region for a third straight day, trying to calm the situation. Hundreds of Muslim residents of Mullegama, a village in the hills of central Sri Lanka, barricaded themselves inside a local mosque after Buddhist mobs attacked their homes Wednesday morning accusing them of stealing the donation box of a nearby temple. At least 20 Muslims homes appeared badly damaged and flames engulfed a two-story home.The Muslims hiding in the mosque, speaking on condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisals, said police prevented them from saving their properties and did nothing to stop the attacks.