Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed the reconstruction of the Batticaloa Zion Church to be completed prior to Christmas this year. While commending the Army Engineering Corps for their efforts to rebuild the church, the Premier said the work should be completed before the religiously significant holiday for Christians. The church suffered extensive damages while scores of churchgoers were killed by a suicide bomber linked to the National Thawheed Jamath (NTJ) on Easter Sunday.