Sri Lankan soldiers secured the area around St. Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo after a blast on Sunday. [Source: Chamila Karunarathne/Associated Press]

It’s a sad day for the Sri Lankan community in the country following the deaths of 207 people in a string of deadly bomb attacks yesterday.

More than 200 people were killed and hundreds more injured in eight blasts that targeted busy luxury hotels and Easter services at churches.

Fijian Holdings Limited Chief Executive, Nouzab Fareed says this is a dark day for the nation.

Speaking to FBC News, Fareed who was too emotional to express what he was going through says no one ever expected this to happen.

Fareed says his mother who lives in the Central business district of Colombo where the attacks occurred is safe and was not harmed.

“It is a very dark day for Sri Lanka as this has never happened before and after all people wonder why the attack on a place of worship. Among them are some of the people we know, we have seen from the childhood. So it is something very hard to digest, something very hard to even speak about.”

Fareed’s mother lives five kilometers away from where one of the bombings took place.

He says he spent most of his childhood in these targeted areas.

He says such terrorists attack churches during the Easter mass and attack on the resorts during the long weekend is cowardly.

The attacks on tourists and Easter worshippers in Sri Lanka are an attack on humanity. On a day devoted to love, redemption, and renewal, we pray for the victims and stand with the people of Sri Lanka.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 21, 2019

At least 8 bombing attacks struck at least 3 churches in Sri Lanka, along with 3 five-star hotels favored by foreigners, killing more than 200 people.

Read more: https://t.co/43Dcm0D9Si pic.twitter.com/Mzoe0Tl60b

— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 21, 2019

Leaders around the world are condemning the deadly Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka and offering support pic.twitter.com/nSfKjf4mH5

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) April 21, 2019

As we celebrate the resurrection of the son of God, the terrible attacks in Sri Lanka once again show how the followers of Christ are all over the world the victims of wild and foolish deeds. I condemn this barbaric Islamist violence. Pray. + RS pic.twitter.com/z2el8c3nJN

— Cardinal R. Sarah (@Card_R_Sarah) April 21, 2019

Pres. Trump on Easter morning offered condolences to the people of Sri Lanka, continued his attacks on special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and attended service at the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea near his Florida estate. https://t.co/5mZ46KabKc pic.twitter.com/G19oMrpWNT

— ABC News (@ABC) April 21, 2019

Three churches in Negombo, Batticaloa and Colombo’s Kochchikade district were targeted during Easter services and blasts also rocked the Shangri-La, Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand hotels in the country’s capital.