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Seven die in Sri Lanka bus attack | |
(30 minutes later) | |
A roadside bomb has hit a bus in northern Sri Lanka, killing seven people and injuring 26, security officials say. | |
The bus hit a mine outside the town of Vavuniya, 250 km (155 miles) north of the capital, Colombo. | The bus hit a mine outside the town of Vavuniya, 250 km (155 miles) north of the capital, Colombo. |
Vavuniya is the last government-held garrison town before territory held by the separatist Tamil Tigers, who are suspected of carrying out the attack. | Vavuniya is the last government-held garrison town before territory held by the separatist Tamil Tigers, who are suspected of carrying out the attack. |
The injured - including seven soldiers - were admitted to local hospitals. | |
The attack was the second in less than a week, after 16 people were killed when a bus was targeted in eastern Ampara district on Monday. | The attack was the second in less than a week, after 16 people were killed when a bus was targeted in eastern Ampara district on Monday. |
There has been no claim of responsibility for either attack, and the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) denied they were behind the Ampara blast. | There has been no claim of responsibility for either attack, and the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) denied they were behind the Ampara blast. |
Theoretical ceasefire | Theoretical ceasefire |
Both the Tigers and the military are, officially, still observing a 2002 ceasefire which has become meaningless in practice. | 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 about 4,000 people have been killed. | Violence began to increase after the 2005 election of President Mahinda Rajapakse. Since then about 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 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. | 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. | The Tigers are fighting for a Tamil homeland in the north and east of the island. |