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| Tamil Tiger planes raid Colombo | Tamil Tiger planes raid Colombo |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Two planes belonging to Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have attacked the capital Colombo, killing two people and injuring about 45, officials say. | Two planes belonging to Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have attacked the capital Colombo, killing two people and injuring about 45, officials say. |
| Both planes were downed, one of them hitting inland revenue offices, where the casualties occurred, officials said. The building was badly damaged. | Both planes were downed, one of them hitting inland revenue offices, where the casualties occurred, officials said. The building was badly damaged. |
| The other plane was shot down near the city's airport, which was closed. | The other plane was shot down near the city's airport, which was closed. |
| The raid comes as the army has driven the Tigers into a shrinking zone of jungle in the north of Sri Lanka. | The raid comes as the army has driven the Tigers into a shrinking zone of jungle in the north of Sri Lanka. |
| We were right in the middle of an arc of gunfire and there were search lights into the sky trying to pick out aircraft Barry WalkerBritish man in Colombo Eyewitness: Air raidRebels attack despite losses | We were right in the middle of an arc of gunfire and there were search lights into the sky trying to pick out aircraft Barry WalkerBritish man in Colombo Eyewitness: Air raidRebels attack despite losses |
| A pro-rebel website, TamilNet, said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had claimed what it described as "successful air raids". | |
| They involved "diving into Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Headquarters in Colombo and into the SLAF base at Katunayaka", 35km (21 miles) north of the capital, the website said. | |
| TamilNet named the two pilots as Col Roopan and Lt Col Siriththiran - describing them as decorated pilots from the "Black Air Tigers" squad - and showed a picture purportedly of the men with Tamil leader Velupillai Pirapaharan. | |
| Correspondents say the attack amounts to a major embarrassment for Sri Lanka's government, which had claimed to have destroyed all the rebels' hidden runways and put its small air force out of action. | Correspondents say the attack amounts to a major embarrassment for Sri Lanka's government, which had claimed to have destroyed all the rebels' hidden runways and put its small air force out of action. |
| 'Massive explosion' | 'Massive explosion' |
| The city was put on full alert at about 2130 (1600 GMT) on Friday as electricity was cut and searchlights and tracer fire from anti-aircraft guns cut through the night sky. | |
| One of the planes went down near Colombo's international airport | |
| Briton Barry Walker told the BBC that he was in a central Colombo hotel when the blackout hit. | Briton Barry Walker told the BBC that he was in a central Colombo hotel when the blackout hit. |
| "We were sitting by the swimming pool when we heard firing of heavy anti-aircraft guns. Heavy shell fire. This lasted 20-25 minutes... then there was a massive explosion," he said. | "We were sitting by the swimming pool when we heard firing of heavy anti-aircraft guns. Heavy shell fire. This lasted 20-25 minutes... then there was a massive explosion," he said. |
| Mr Walker and other guests were ushered into the hotel's basement for about two hours until the all-clear was given. | Mr Walker and other guests were ushered into the hotel's basement for about two hours until the all-clear was given. |
| Another witness told the BBC he saw a low-flying aircraft and then heard a huge explosion by the city's fort, where many government offices are located. | Another witness told the BBC he saw a low-flying aircraft and then heard a huge explosion by the city's fort, where many government offices are located. |
| The air force headquarters, which is in the same area, may have been the target, correspondents say. | The air force headquarters, which is in the same area, may have been the target, correspondents say. |
| Air force jets scrambled | Air force jets scrambled |
| The ministry of defence said a tax office of the inland revenue department was in flames after one of the planes went down into the building. | The ministry of defence said a tax office of the inland revenue department was in flames after one of the planes went down into the building. |
| Most of the windows in the high-rise office block were blown out and several floors were gutted by fire. | Most of the windows in the high-rise office block were blown out and several floors were gutted by fire. |
| The other plane was shot down next to the international airport, just outside Colombo, and the body of its pilot had been found, defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said. | The other plane was shot down next to the international airport, just outside Colombo, and the body of its pilot had been found, defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said. |
| Witnesses at the airport told Associated Press news agency that anti-aircraft guns had been firing followed by an explosion. | Witnesses at the airport told Associated Press news agency that anti-aircraft guns had been firing followed by an explosion. |
| Military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said the alert began when a suspected Tamil Tiger aircraft was spotted north-east of Colombo and the capital's air defences were activated. | Military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said the alert began when a suspected Tamil Tiger aircraft was spotted north-east of Colombo and the capital's air defences were activated. |
| Air force jets were scrambled to engage the planes. | Air force jets were scrambled to engage the planes. |
| TIGER AIR RAIDS 26 March 2007: First Tiger air raid hits air force base near Colombo's international airport24 April 2007: Military base in Jaffna peninsula hit29 April 2007: Targets in and around Colombo hit, including fuel facilities22 October 2007: Tiger planes back up ground assault on air force base at Anuradhapura, north of Colombo27 April 2008: Military targets in north-east Sri Lanka attacked26 August 2008: Naval base at Trincomalee bombed28 October 2008: Dual raid on oil storage tanks near Colombo and military base in north-west20 February 2009: Colombo attacked | TIGER AIR RAIDS 26 March 2007: First Tiger air raid hits air force base near Colombo's international airport24 April 2007: Military base in Jaffna peninsula hit29 April 2007: Targets in and around Colombo hit, including fuel facilities22 October 2007: Tiger planes back up ground assault on air force base at Anuradhapura, north of Colombo27 April 2008: Military targets in north-east Sri Lanka attacked26 August 2008: Naval base at Trincomalee bombed28 October 2008: Dual raid on oil storage tanks near Colombo and military base in north-west20 February 2009: Colombo attacked |
| The attack comes as a major Sri Lankan army offensive has inflicted a series of defeats on the Tamil Tiger forces, pushing the rebels into a narrow area of jungle in the north of Sri Lanka. | The attack comes as a major Sri Lankan army offensive has inflicted a series of defeats on the Tamil Tiger forces, pushing the rebels into a narrow area of jungle in the north of Sri Lanka. |
| The Tigers have used light planes in the past to attack Colombo and military targets in other areas of Sri Lanka. | The Tigers have used light planes in the past to attack Colombo and military targets in other areas of Sri Lanka. |
| The Tigers were believed to have a number of two-seater Czech-made Zlin-143 aircraft fitted with homemade bombing equipment. | The Tigers were believed to have a number of two-seater Czech-made Zlin-143 aircraft fitted with homemade bombing equipment. |
| The propeller-driven planes were reportedly smuggled into the country in pieces before being reassembled and modified to carry bombs. | The propeller-driven planes were reportedly smuggled into the country in pieces before being reassembled and modified to carry bombs. |
| About 70,000 people have died in the last 25 years as the Tigers have been fighting for a separate homeland in the north and east of the country. | About 70,000 people have died in the last 25 years as the Tigers have been fighting for a separate homeland in the north and east of the country. |
| Are you in Colombo? Have you witnessed any of the attacks? Send us your story using the form below: | Are you in Colombo? Have you witnessed any of the attacks? Send us your story using the form below: |