04-02-2008

12 civilians killed by roadside bomb in Sri Lanka

Colombo - Tamil rebels set off a powerful claymore mine against a civilian passenger bus in north-eastern Sri Lanka on Monday, killing 12 civilians, as the country marked the 60th anniversary of independence from Britain.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the bus was caught in the attack at Ethawetunuwewa, 280 kilometres north-east of the capital, and at least 17 were injured in addition to the 12 fatalities.

The civilians belonged to the majority Sinhala community.

The incident was reported from an area where there have been regular skirmishes between security forces and rebels on a day in which President Mahinda Rajapaksa vowed to intensify efforts to defeat 'terrorism' and recapture Tamil rebel-controlled areas in the northern part of the country.

Rajapaksa, in a nationwide address to mark the 60th anniversary of independence, said Tamil rebels were suffering an unprecedented defeat at the hands of the military in the latest phase of the nearly three decades of ethnic conflict.

'In two years we have been able to liberate the eastern province and confine the terrorists to two districts in the north,' Rajapaksa said, referring to his time in office.

Tamil rebels have stepped up attacks in the southern part of the country in an effort to divert attention of the security forces who have launched a series of military operations in the north.

After the president's speech, rebels set off a roadside claymore mine in the south-eastern part of the country, killing a soldier and injuring three others, a military spokesman said.

An army tractor carrying food for soldiers had been the target of the rebel attack in Buttala, 280 kilometres south-east of the capital, on Monday afternoon. Rebels on January 16 set off a claymore mine on a civilian bus killing 27 passengers in the same area.

Suspected rebels also set off another minor explosion in the outskirts of the capital on Monday noon, but no injuries had been caused. The explosion took place close to an university in Moratuwa, 14 kilometres south of the capital.

Two hours before the main independence celebrations presided over by Rajapaksa, a minor explosion close to an electrical transformer outside Sri Lanka's capital was reported.

The incident came as the police discovered a roadside claymore mine fixed to a telephone booth overnight, also near Colombo.

Police and soldiers were deployed in key strategic positions, and strict security procedures were being maintained in and around the capital in view of the independence celebration in the city with a military parade presided over by Rajapaksa.

Security was further tightened after an explosion Sunday at Colombo's main railway station in which a Tamil rebel female suicide bomber killed 15 people and injured more than 100. The death toll rose to 15 when two more students succumbed to their injuries.

Police investigations found the suicide bomber had arrived by train, and was trying to make her way out of the station. But a search operation was being conducted, and she then triggered the explosion.

All schools were closed within the Colombo city for one week due to security reasons.

As a security precaution, all text messages on mobile phones were suspended Monday morning until the main independence day celebrations were over at midday.

Almost all ministers, armed forces commanders and politicians were attending the ceremony, and strict security was being maintained along the access roads for the event at Galle Face, a seafront close to the president's house.

The military claimed that in the north as many as 36 rebels were killed in a series of sporadic incidents since Sunday morning. No independent confirmation was available about the death toll.

More than 100 civilians have been killed since the government withdrew from a truce on January 16. Tamil separatist rebels have stepped up attacks on civilian targets outside the ethnic minority's population base in northern and eastern Sri Lanka.

Since Rajapaksa was elected, more than 5,800 people have been killed during the past two years.

Source-M&G