Why did Israel, America tell Sri Lanka’s Arugam area to run away, is the Indian Ocean the target of Hezbollah-Hamas?

New Delhi: Israel on Wednesday asked its citizens to immediately leave some tourist areas of the world. Israel has received inputs that a terrorist attack may occur in southern Sri Lanka. This warning is regarding a beautiful Arugam coastal area of ​​Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. Arugam is a bay area, famous for its beautiful beach. Israel has not specified the exact threat, but has appealed to Israelis in the rest of Sri Lanka, including Arugam, to remain alert and refrain from organizing large gatherings in open places. America and Germany have also issued the same alert and have appealed to their citizens to leave Arugam immediately. Let us know what is Arugam Beach and what is it known for. Is it the target of Hezbollah and Hamas?

Arugam is called Arugam Kudah in Tamil

Arugam Bay is called Arugam Kudah by the local people. It is located on the Indian Ocean in the dry area of ​​the south-eastern coast of Sri Lanka. It was given to Sri Lanka under a historical agreement of the ancient Batticaloa region (Mattakallappu Desam).

Arugam Kudah area is home to many elephants

The Gulf of Arugam is located 117 kilometers south of Batticaloa, 320 kilometers east of Colombo and about 4 kilometers south of the market town of Pottuvil. Nearby is Pottuvil, a Muslim village which is a center of business and traffic. This area is also known as Kumana, providing access to the Tamil/Sinhalese settlement of Panama (Sri Lanka) and the Tamil areas of Okanda. The local area is home to many elephants, which frequently travel between Lahugala and Kumana National Parks.

Gulf of Arugam is a Muslim dominated area

The main settlement of Arugam area is known as Ullaye. The main population here is Muslim. However, there is a significant Sri Lankan Tamil and Sinhalese population to the south of the village, as well as many international migrants, mainly from Europe and Australia.

Conflict between fishing and tourism

Tourism was much less important during the period of fighting between the central government and Tamil separatists. In fact, most of the hotels here often buy fish from fishermen. When peace came, tourism expanded and many fishermen who had moved to areas less affected by the conflict returned.

Israeli tourists like Arugam Bay very much

Arugam Bay is a popular destination for Israeli tourists, where many restaurants, spas and other retail shops have signs written in Hebrew. Israeli tourists have established a Chabad House in the area.

Israelis and Europeans come for surfing

Arugam Bay is a popular surfing spot. It is also the only international surf competition venue in Sri Lanka. It is also rated as one of the top ten surf destinations in the world, also known as Ofek’s Main Point. Tourists from Europe, America and Israel come here to surf here. Arugam has also hosted most of the international surfing competitions in Sri Lanka since 2004.

American Embassy has also issued a warning

The US Embassy in Sri Lanka has also issued a security alert. It said that confirmed information has been received about an attack targeting popular tourist destinations in the Arugam Bay area. In such a situation, American citizens are requested to stay away from the Arugam Bay area until further notice. However, not much detail has been given about it.

Germany’s Foreign Ministry said – leave the coast immediately

Meanwhile, Germany’s Foreign Ministry has also asked its citizens to evacuate the coastal tourist area including Arugam as soon as possible, citing indications of possible attacks on tourist destinations. An appeal has been made to leave it as soon as possible to avoid terrorist attacks.

Israelis banned from wearing Hebrew T-shirts

The US and Israel said in their alert that Israeli citizens or others are advised to avoid openly displaying anything that could identify them as Israeli citizens. Never wear T-shirts written in Hebrew or any symbols that reveal the religion or nationality of Israelis.

Large number of police forces deployed in Arugam

A large number of police forces have been deployed in Arugam area in Sri Lanka. Everyone has been put on high alert. Police spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa said in a video statement released in Colombo that police security has been increased in the area and officers are on high alert. The area is a popular spot for surfing and has attracted large numbers of people. We are working diligently to ensure the safety of Israeli tourists.

15 lakh tourists arrived in 8 months, out of which 20 thousand were Israelis

Government data shows that 1.5 million tourists arrived in Sri Lanka in the first eight months of this year, including a total of 20,515 tourists from Israel. Sri Lanka is famous for its pristine beaches, tea plantations and historic temples. It is seeing a resurgence in tourist arrivals as the island nation recovers from a severe financial crisis.

Can Hezbollah or Hamas attack in the Indian Ocean?

It is not clear whose links are connected to the terrorist threat that the governments of Israel, America and Germany have received. Israel is currently at war with Hezbollah and Hamas. In such a situation, this danger can be anything. If such an attack occurs in the Indian Ocean region, it could be a matter of concern for India as well.