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14 Sri Lanka security personnel killed

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: At least 10 soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and four Civil Defence Force guards were killed by suspected cadres of the LTTE in two separate incidents in Vavunia district in the north on Tuesday.

According to the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS), the soldiers died in a claymore blast carried out by the LTTE. Seven other soldiers and six civilians were injured in the incident.

The MCNS said the LTTE set off a claymore device targeting an army bus at Cheddikulama on the Mannar-Madawachchiya road. The bus was carrying unarmed army personnel going on leave. The claymore device was believed to have been fixed to a bicycle parked close to a vehicle.

Earlier in the day, the military spokesman, Prasad Samarasingha, claimed there is a significant increase in LTTE activities on the Wanni front following its defeat in Eastern Province. Speaking at the weekly media briefing, Brig. Samarasingha said the army would be compelled to crush the LTTE in Wanni if they continued to attack civilians and the security forces.

In the second incident, the Civil Defence Force guard point at Wewegama in Vavunia was attacked by LTTE cadres using small arms in the early hours of Tuesday.

Four members of force were killed in the attack following which security forces launched cordon and search operations.

Separately, at a media briefing the Defence spokesperson and Minister Kehelia Rembukwella said the Government is ready to face the challenges from the Tigers in the run-up to the conduct of the local bodies’ election and establishment of a civilian administration.

He said the Ministry of Finance has allocated Rs. 6.5 billion (Sri Lanka) for the implementation of various development projects in Eastern Province.

“A strong foundation will be laid with the implementation of an accelerated development programme scheduled to be completed in 180 days. This will be a giant leap forward towards the socio-economic and cultural development of the Eastern Province”, the Minister said.

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