Ten soldiers killed in claymore blast

Ranil Wijayapala and Rafik Jalaldeen

CHETTIKULAM: Ten soldiers were killed and 18 injured, including seven civilians, when an Army convoy transporting soldiers going home on leave was caught in an LTTE claymore mine at Chettikulam on the Mannar-Vavuniya road at noon yesterday, military sources said.

According to sources, the bus plying from Mannar to Medawachchiya was caught in the explosion at 12.55 p.m. as it was passing Chettikulam. Out of the eight injured soldiers admitted to Vavuniya hospital, seven in a critical condition were airlifted to the Anuradhapura General Hospital, the sources added.

According to the military, the LTTE has intensified claymore mine attacks targeting the Security Forces during the past few weeks especially West of Vavuniya where fierce fighting erupted between the Security Forces and the LTTE.

Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said the LTTE has brought their artillery guns to the Madhu church area which was declared a no war zone due to the annual Madhu season.

“The Security Forces are not in a position to return the LTTE artillery fire as they have moved to the Madhu church area”, the Brigadier told the press yesterday

Brigadier Samarasinghe said four Civil Security Forces personnel guarding the village of Thiruwegama were killed as LTTE lobbed a hand grenade into their bunker on the outskirts of the village, in the wee hours of yesterday.