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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| 'Suicide attack' on S Lanka army | 'Suicide attack' on S Lanka army |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A Tamil Tiger suicide bomber has killed himself and at least seven others in an attack on an army camp in eastern Sri Lanka, the military has said. | |
| The bomber drove a tractor loaded with explosives to the camp in Batticaloa district and detonated it at the gate. | The bomber drove a tractor loaded with explosives to the camp in Batticaloa district and detonated it at the gate. |
| Three soldiers, four civilians and the bomber were killed and at least 10 others injured, officials said. | Three soldiers, four civilians and the bomber were killed and at least 10 others injured, officials said. |
| The bombing came a day after the Tamil Tigers carried out their first ever aerial attack, on a military base. | The bombing came a day after the Tamil Tigers carried out their first ever aerial attack, on a military base. |
| Rebels said the Sri Lankan government carried out four air raids in the north of the island after the airport attack. | Rebels said the Sri Lankan government carried out four air raids in the north of the island after the airport attack. |
| Troops praised | Troops praised |
| Tuesday's bombing at the Chenkalady camp in Batticaloa district came early in the morning. | Tuesday's bombing at the Chenkalady camp in Batticaloa district came early in the morning. |
| Our alert soldiers... asked the driver to stop. When he ignored, they opened fire Brig Prasad Samarasinghe, Military spokesman Tamil Tigers' new tactic | Our alert soldiers... asked the driver to stop. When he ignored, they opened fire Brig Prasad Samarasinghe, Military spokesman Tamil Tigers' new tactic |
| The military said troops shot the attacker as he tried to enter the base. The tractor and its explosives subsequently exploded. | The military said troops shot the attacker as he tried to enter the base. The tractor and its explosives subsequently exploded. |
| Three of the civilians belonged to a pro-government Tamil party, the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), which has its office next to the camp, officials said. A 12-year-old boy was also killed. | Three of the civilians belonged to a pro-government Tamil party, the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), which has its office next to the camp, officials said. A 12-year-old boy was also killed. |
| Sri Lanka's military spokesman, Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe, said it was only the alertness of the sentries on duty that prevented the bomber getting into the base and causing more casualties. | Sri Lanka's military spokesman, Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe, said it was only the alertness of the sentries on duty that prevented the bomber getting into the base and causing more casualties. |
| "You can't find even a piece of the trailer. If it had come into the camp, it would have been a major disaster," he told Reuters news agency. | "You can't find even a piece of the trailer. If it had come into the camp, it would have been a major disaster," he told Reuters news agency. |
| Brig Samarasinghe blamed the Tigers. | Brig Samarasinghe blamed the Tigers. |
| The rebels, who have fought for decades for a separate state for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority in the north and east, have not commented on the incident. | The rebels, who have fought for decades for a separate state for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority in the north and east, have not commented on the incident. |
| There has been heavy fighting in eastern Sri Lanka for months. | There has been heavy fighting in eastern Sri Lanka for months. |
| The BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo says government forces are trying to drive the rebels from pockets of territory they still hold. | The BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo says government forces are trying to drive the rebels from pockets of territory they still hold. |
| Air raid | Air raid |
| Meanwhile, investigations are getting under way into how the rebels managed to carry out the air raid on the fighter jet base on Monday. | Meanwhile, investigations are getting under way into how the rebels managed to carry out the air raid on the fighter jet base on Monday. |
| The Tigers released photos of the pilots they said took part | The Tigers released photos of the pilots they said took part |
| At least one light aircraft flew undetected to the Katunayake base, which is next to the international airport and shares the same runway, dropped several bombs and returned home. | At least one light aircraft flew undetected to the Katunayake base, which is next to the international airport and shares the same runway, dropped several bombs and returned home. |
| The rebels say two planes were involved. It was the first time they have attacked from the air. | The rebels say two planes were involved. It was the first time they have attacked from the air. |
| Three air force personnel died and 16 people were hurt in the raid 30km (20 miles) north of Colombo, the air force said. | Three air force personnel died and 16 people were hurt in the raid 30km (20 miles) north of Colombo, the air force said. |
| The international airport - which was not damaged - was closed briefly. The Sri Lanka air force said none of its jets were damaged. | The international airport - which was not damaged - was closed briefly. The Sri Lanka air force said none of its jets were damaged. |
| 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. |
| About 65,000 people have been killed and one million displaced by the fighting over the past 20 years. | About 65,000 people have been killed and one million displaced by the fighting over the past 20 years. |