This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/6497883.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
'Suicide attack' on S Lanka army | 'Suicide attack' on S Lanka army |
(about 3 hours later) | |
At least six people have been killed in a suicide attack by the Tamil Tigers on an army camp in eastern Sri Lanka, officials have said. | |
A rebel drove a tractor loaded with explosives to the camp in Batticaloa district and detonated it at the gate. | |
Two soldiers and four civilians were killed and at least nine others were injured, officials said. | |
The bombing came a day after the Tamil Tigers carried out their first ever aerial attack, on a military base. | |
Three air force personnel died and 16 people were hurt in the Tigers' raid on the base next to the international airport north of the capital, Colombo. | |
The international airport - which was not damaged - was closed briefly. | The international airport - which was not damaged - was closed briefly. |
The Katunayake airbase and the civilian airport share the same runway. | The Katunayake airbase and the civilian airport share the same runway. |
Rebels said the Sri Lankan government carried out four air raids in the north of the island after the airport attack. | |
'Minor damage' | 'Minor damage' |
A statement from the Tamil Tigers, carried by the pro-rebel Tamilnet website, claimed responsibility for the attack on the military base, which is 30km (20 miles) north of Colombo. | A statement from the Tamil Tigers, carried by the pro-rebel Tamilnet website, claimed responsibility for the attack on the military base, which is 30km (20 miles) north of Colombo. |
The Tigers released photos of the pilots they said took part Plan of air base and airport Tamil Tigers' new tactic The government said one plane was used. The rebels said two aircraft took part and that both planes returned to rebel-held territory safely. | The Tigers released photos of the pilots they said took part Plan of air base and airport Tamil Tigers' new tactic The government said one plane was used. The rebels said two aircraft took part and that both planes returned to rebel-held territory safely. |
Air force officials said no planes were hit, damage to the military facility was "minor" and that a search operation was under way. | Air force officials said no planes were hit, damage to the military facility was "minor" and that a search operation was under way. |
The air force base houses some of the aircraft used in recent air strikes against Tiger rebel bases in the north. | |
Despite a ceasefire still being in place on paper, Sri Lanka has been sliding back towards civil war, with more than 4,000 people killed in the past 15 months, our correspondent says. | Despite a ceasefire still being in place on paper, Sri Lanka has been sliding back towards civil war, with more than 4,000 people killed in the past 15 months, our correspondent says. |
The rebels have been fighting the armed forces of the predominantly Sinhalese government for much of the past 20 years. | The 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 for the minority Tamils in the north and east of the country, to be called Tamil Eelam. | They want to establish an independent homeland for the minority Tamils in the north and east of the country, to be called Tamil Eelam. |
About 65,000 people have been killed and one million displaced by the fighting. | About 65,000 people have been killed and one million displaced by the fighting. |