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LTTE claim refuted

COLOMBO: The LTTE alleged on Friday that eight civilians, including three pre-school children, were killed and 10 were injured, four of them critically, when Sri Lanka bombed a coastal civilian settlement in the Kiranchi area in Poonahari in the Kilinochchi district.

However, the Air Force said it bombed “carefully identified” LTTE targets.

The Defence Ministry said here the jets had bombed two artillery positions of the LTTE terrorists located in the North of Mannar and Mulllaittivu areas.

It said the first air sortie was conducted around 12 noon in the Mannar area while the second at 1p.m in the Mulllaittivu area. “Fighter pilots have confirmed that the targets were accurately hit.”

The Ministry said the terrorists had been firing heavy artillery towards Mannar and Welioya Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) using guns located at the targeted locations. Recently, the LTTE terrorists fired at St. Anthony’s church, Thalladi, destroying the building and killing six soldiers engaged in cleaning and maintenance work, it said.

The Ministry said the jets had also bombed an “inland Sea Tiger base” at Kiranchchi, west of Kilinochchi.

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