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Sri Lanka blast 'kills civilians' Sri Lanka blast 'kills civilians'
(40 minutes later)
At least five civilians have been killed in an explosion on a bus carrying civilians in Sri Lanka, reports say. At least 12 people have been killed in an explosion on a bus carrying civilians in the eastern district of Ampara in Sri Lanka, officials say.
The defence ministry says the blast was caused by a bomb planted by rebels of the Tamil Tigers. The government has accused Tamil Tiger rebels of being behind the blast.
The incident happened in the eastern district of Ampara. The bombing follows a weekend of violence in which six tsunami reconstruction workers were shot dead.
There has been worsening violence in Sri Lanka in recent months, mainly in the east and north, leaving tens of thousands of civilians homeless. There has been worsening violence in Sri Lanka in recent months, mainly in the east and north, which has left tens of thousands of civilians homeless.
'Targeted'
The defence ministry said ambulances and security personnel were seen rushing towards the scene of Monday's explosion on the main road connecting Ampara and Badulla.The defence ministry said ambulances and security personnel were seen rushing towards the scene of Monday's explosion on the main road connecting Ampara and Badulla.
It said the bomb was planted by the Tigers "targeting a civilian transportation bus". It exploded just after midday, local time. Some reports say up to 12 people have died. It said the bomb was planted by the Tigers "targeting a civilian transportation bus". It exploded just after midday, local time.
There has been no comment yet from the Tamil Tigers about the attack.There has been no comment yet from the Tamil Tigers about the attack.
The six tsunami reconstruction workers, all ethnic Sinhalese, were killed on Sunday in the eastern district of Batticaloa.
They were employed in building an orphanage for survivors of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that devastated much of the Sri Lankan coast.
The government says the Tamil Tigers killed them. The Tigers blame a group that broke away from them, led by Colonel Karuna, which the Tigers say fights alongside the army against the Tigers.
The bodies of two people shot dead by unknown gunmen were found in the northern Vavuniya area on Sunday night, the pro-Tamil Tiger website says.
Territorial gains
Both the Tigers and the military are, officially, still observing a 2002 ceasefire which has become meaningless in practice.
Violence began to increase after the 2005 election of President Mahinda Rajapakse. Since then some 4,000 people have been killed.
In one of the worst incidents more than 60 people - many of them children - were killed in a mine attack the government said the Tigers carried out on a bus in the town of Kabithigollewa, 200km (125 miles) north of the capital, Colombo, last June.
In recent weeks the army has made gains into Tamil Tiger territory in the east.
The Tigers are fighting for a Tamil homeland in the north and east of the island.