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Sri Lanka: U.S. official injured in Easter Sunday bombings has died

By Darryl Coote

May 9 (UPI) -- A United States official seriously injured in the Easter Sunday terror attacks in Sri Lanka died this week, officials said.

Chelsea Decaminada, an international program specialist with the U.S. Department of Commerce in Sri Lanka on assignment, died Monday as a result of injuries sustained during the April 21 suicide bomb attacks on three hotels and three Christian churches throughout the country, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina Teplitz confirmed Wednesday.

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"We mourn the loss of Chelsea Decaminada, who succumbed after a valiant fight to injuries from the attacks," Teplitz said in a tweet. "Our prayers are with her family. We pay tribute to Chelsea -- and all those lost and injured -- by partnering with Sri Lanka and nations worldwide to bring unity in the face of terrorism."

Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross was the first to announce her death Tuesday, saying on Twitter, "it was our great hope that Chelsea would recover from her injuries."

In a statement, Ross said Decaminada was a talented program specialist in the Department of Commerce's law development program.

"Chelsea devoted her life to public service and her dedication and spirit were a model for all of us at Commerce," he said. "She served her country with distinction."

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He said as they mourn her death they will continue to fight terrorism.

She is the second person from the Washington D.C. area to die in the suicide bombing attack that the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for but has been attributed to terrorist organization National Thawheed Jammath.

Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa, a fifth-grade student at Sidwell Friends School, was on leave to study in Sri Lanka, his mother's native home, when he died in the blasts, NBC News reported.

The 11-year-old was eating breakfast at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo when it was attacked by a suicide bomber.

UNICEF said at least 45 children were killed in the attacks.

Sri Lankan authorities have said all responsible for the attacks have either been arrested or killed.

More than 250 people, including 45 foreigners, were killed in the attacks.

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