LTTE mortar fire injures five students, two teachers

Rafik Jlaldeen

LTTE mortar fire injured five students and two teachers of Irakkam school in Pulleadi, Mannar yesterday afternoon. A student and a teacher who were critically injured were admitted to the Mannar hospital, Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

A school located between the Madhu and Murunkan road came under LTTE artillery attack at round 1.20 p.m. yesterday. "Four Tiger artillery hit the Irakkam school in Mannar injuring five students and two teachers", Brigadier Nanayakkara said.

"A student and a teacher who were critically injured were admitted to the Mannar hospital while four other students and a teacher sustained injuries were admitted to Murunkan hospital", he added. The LTTE always acts blindly and targets civilians.

"There is no reason to fire towards the school. A military establishment is located far from the school. It is the LTTE who acts callously by attacking civilians", Brigadier Nanayakkara pointed out. Meanwhile, five LTTE cadres were killed by the Security Forces in two separate incidents last morning in Vavuniya, he said.

The Security Forces launched an attack in the West of Omanthai, Welankulam yesterday at around 7.00 a.m. Three LTTE cadres died in the attack.

In a separate incident,troops confronted the Tigers North of Periyathampanai at around 8.30 a.m. yesterday. The Security Forces successfully repulsed the attack killing two terroritsts.

Meanwhile, four farmers including a woman were shot dead by LTTE cadres last morning in Mahawilachchiya, a village bordering the Wilpattu sanctuary, police spokesman Senior DIG Jayantha Wickramaratne said.

According to Mahawilachchiya police, four farmers who left their houses early yesterday were found shot dead at around 8.30 a.m. "We believe the LTTE was behind the shooting.

The farmers were in their paddyfield when the LTTE opened fire indiscriminately killing four," DIG Wickramaratne said. He pointed out that the LTTE had access to enter the Wilpattu sanctuary as it borders Anuradhapura and Puttalam.

"The Tigers have access to the Wilpattu sanctuary from Anuradhapura and Puttalam. The farmers were in the paddy field which is in the jungle area," he added.

A special police and army team were deployed to search the area.