Sri Lanka revoked the nationwide state of emergency on Sunday, 12 days after it was imposed to quell clashes between people of the Buddhist and Muslim communities. Three people died and hundreds of establishments were destroyed in the riots. More than 300 people were arrested.

President Maithripala Sirisena said on Twitter, “Upon assessing the public safety situation, I instructed to revoke the State of Emergency from midnight yesterday.” Sirisena said the security situation has improved, according to AFP.

Most of the anti-Musim violence was in the central district of Kandy. Police said the situation has returned to normal, and that security forces were helping people rebuild their homes and businesses.

Tension has been growing between the two communities over the past year. Hardline Buddhist groups have accused Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam and vandalising Buddhist archaeological sites. Some have blamed the nationalist Buddhist organisation Bodu Bala Sena for the violence. In February, five people were injured and several shops and a mosque were damaged during clashes.

Muslims make up 10% of Sri Lanka’s population and Buddhists around 75%.

Sirisena has appointed a three-member committee of retired judges to investigate the incidents of violence in Kandy district that continued over the past week despite the emergency.