Communities and religious leaders have come together to call for peace and calm in Sri Lanka, following the deadly church and hotel suicide bombings, on Easter Sunday.

With nearly 300 killed – including 45 children – the Indian Ocean island nation is in a state of mourning and living through a “national trauma”.

That’s according to the UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Hanna Singer, who also warned that beyond the “fear and shock” there was rising concern over a possible “backlash”.

The UN is on the ground supporting communities and providing medical supplies, as well as psychological aid for those who witnessed the violence.

Hanna Singer spoke by phone to UN News’s Mustafa Al Gamal, and gave him an update on the latest situation in Sri Lanka.