Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers say they have bombed a military base adjoining the international airport north of Colombo, and warned more raids would follow.
Sri Lanka Tamil Tigers have bombed a military base near the international airport north of Colombo, and the rebels warn more raids will follow.
Two people were killed and 17 injured when two light aircraft attacked the air base, government officials said.
Two people were killed and 17 injured when a light aircraft dropped two bombs on the base, government officials said.
The international airport - which was not damaged - has been closed and passengers led to shelter.
The international airport - which was not damaged - has been closed as a precaution. No civilians were hurt.
Tiger rebels attacked the airport and base in 2001, killing 18 and wiping out half of the national airline fleet.
Tiger rebels attacked the airport and base in 2001, killing 18 and wiping out half of the national airline fleet.
A statement from the Tamil Tiger rebel group, carried by TamilNet, claimed responsibility for the attack on the Katunayake base, which is 30km (20 miles) north of the capital, Colombo.
A statement from the Tamil Tiger rebel group, carried by TamilNet, claimed responsibility for the attack on the Katunayake base, which is 30km (20 miles) north of the capital, Colombo.
I heard a large thud and we all went to the window - there was a long silence and then several more explosions followed by machine gun fire British eyewitness, Neil Butler
I heard a large thud and we all went to the window - there was a long silence and then several more explosions followed by machine gun fire Neil ButlerBritish eyewitness
The group said two aircraft were used in the bombing and both planes returned to rebel-held territory safely after the attack.
The group said two aircraft were used in the bombing and both planes returned to rebel-held territory safely after the attack.
"It is not only pre-emptive, it is a measure to protect Tamil civilians from the genocidal aerial bombardments by Sri Lankan armed forces. More attacks of the same nature will follow," Reuters news agency quoted a rebel Tigers' spokesman as saying.
"It is a measure to protect Tamil civilians from the genocidal aerial bombardments by Sri Lankan armed forces. More attacks of the same nature will follow," Reuters news agency quoted a rebel Tigers' spokesman as saying.
Air force officials said damage to the military facility was "minor" and that a search operation was now under way.
The BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo says the confirmation that the rebels now have an air capability confirms government suspicions that they had been smuggling in aircraft parts to be assembled in areas of the island they control.
Panic
Panic
The BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo says that people living near the airport were woken at about 0045 on Monday (1915 GMT Sunday) by a series of loud explosions, followed by gunfire.
The raid took place at about 0045 on Monday (1915 GMT Sunday).
Vinodhan Joseph, who is in the area, told the BBC News website that he heard just under 10 minutes of explosions coming from the direction of the Katunayake base.
Vinodhan Joseph, who is in the area, told the BBC News website that he heard just under 10 minutes of explosions coming from the direction of the Katunayake base.
The 2001 attack resulted in the loss of half the civilian fleetNeil Butler, a British passenger at the airport, told the BBC News website that he was inside the civilian terminal building when the attack happened.
The 2001 attack resulted in the loss of half the civilian fleetNeil Butler, a British passenger at the airport, told the BBC News website that he was inside the civilian terminal building when the attack happened.
"I heard a large thud and we all went to the window. There was a long silence and then several more explosions followed by machine gun fire," he said.
"I heard a large thud and we all went to the window. There was a long silence and then several more explosions followed by machine gun fire," he said.
"The staff ran for the exit followed by the passengers. When I arrived downstairs in the check-in area a large crowd was running in a panic from the entrance where there had been more machine gun fire."
"The staff ran for the exit followed by the passengers. When I arrived downstairs in the check-in area a large crowd was running in a panic from the entrance where there had been more machine gun fire."
The air force base, which adjoins the country's only international passenger airport, houses some of the aircraft used in recent air strikes against Tiger rebel bases in the north.
The air force base, which adjoins the country's only international passenger airport, houses some of the aircraft used in recent air strikes against Tiger rebel bases in the north.
Sri Lanka has been sliding back into civil war for months, our correspondent says, and although a ceasefire does exist it is only on paper and both sides have ignored it for months.
Sri Lanka has been sliding back into civil war for months, our correspondent says, and although a ceasefire does exist it is only on paper and both sides have ignored it for months.
Our correspondent says that as the fighting in the north has worsened many people have been expecting the Tiger rebels to strike back in dramatic fashion in the south of the country, and it now appears that such an attack may be under way.
Independent homeland
Tourism threatened
The island is heavily reliant on the money which tourism brings in, so an assault close to the airport could be bad news for Sri Lanka's economy.
In the 2001 attack on Colombo airport, which involved suicide bombers, half of the national airline fleet was destroyed.
In the 2001 attack on Colombo airport, which involved suicide bombers, half of the national airline fleet was destroyed.
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have been fighting the armed forces of the predominantly Sinhalese government for much of the past 20 years.
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have been fighting the armed forces of the predominantly Sinhalese government for much of the past 20 years.
They want to establish an independent homeland in the north and east of the country.
They want to establish an independent homeland in the north and east of the country.
About 64,000 people have been killed and one million displaced by the fighting.
About 64,000 people have been killed and one million displaced by the fighting.
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