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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Troops killed in Sri Lanka blast | Troops killed in Sri Lanka blast |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka have detonated a roadside bomb in the north of the country, killing at least 10 soldiers, the military say. | |
| The bomb went off as a bus carrying off-duty soldiers was travelling in a convoy through the town of Chettikulam in Vavuniya district. | The bomb went off as a bus carrying off-duty soldiers was travelling in a convoy through the town of Chettikulam in Vavuniya district. |
| Earlier in the same area officials blamed the Tamil Tigers for killing at least four local guards. | |
| The rebels are fighting for a separate homeland in the north and east. | The rebels are fighting for a separate homeland in the north and east. |
| Nearly 70,000 people have died since the conflict began in 1983. | Nearly 70,000 people have died since the conflict began in 1983. |
| Fierce clashes | Fierce clashes |
| Officials say that the convoy was carrying soldiers going home on leave. It was travelling from the north-western town of Mannar when the blast occurred. | Officials say that the convoy was carrying soldiers going home on leave. It was travelling from the north-western town of Mannar when the blast occurred. |
| "A claymore [mine] exploded targeting a bus carrying troops from Mannar to Vavuniya," a spokesman at the Media Centre for National Security told the Associated Press news agency. | "A claymore [mine] exploded targeting a bus carrying troops from Mannar to Vavuniya," a spokesman at the Media Centre for National Security told the Associated Press news agency. |
| "It was definitely the Tigers." | "It was definitely the Tigers." |
| There has so far been no comment from the rebels on either attack. | There has so far been no comment from the rebels on either attack. |
| Fighting between the army and rebels has recently intensified | Fighting between the army and rebels has recently intensified |
| Unlike most mines, claymores are placed above the ground rather than underneath, and can be detonated remotely at a given moment for maximum impact. | Unlike most mines, claymores are placed above the ground rather than underneath, and can be detonated remotely at a given moment for maximum impact. |
| They fire steel shrapnel as far as 250m in a fan shape in front of where they have been placed. | They fire steel shrapnel as far as 250m in a fan shape in front of where they have been placed. |
| Correspondents say that Mannar and Vavuniya districts have been the scene of recent fierce clashes between government forces and the Tamil Tigers. | Correspondents say that Mannar and Vavuniya districts have been the scene of recent fierce clashes between government forces and the Tamil Tigers. |
| The latest attack came as security was stepped up in the capital, Colombo, amid fears of bomb attacks by the separatist rebels amid an upsurge of fighting. | The latest attack came as security was stepped up in the capital, Colombo, amid fears of bomb attacks by the separatist rebels amid an upsurge of fighting. |
| While the army has captured large tracts of rebel territory in the east, the Tigers still control a large section of the island's far north. | While the army has captured large tracts of rebel territory in the east, the Tigers still control a large section of the island's far north. |
| A ceasefire signed between the two sides in 2002 is still in place on paper, but has broken down on the ground. | A ceasefire signed between the two sides in 2002 is still in place on paper, but has broken down on the ground. |
| Much of the recent fighting until now has taken place in the east. | Much of the recent fighting until now has taken place in the east. |
| The rebels have said if government forces try to advance on their areas in the north, they will resist using every means at their disposal. | The rebels have said if government forces try to advance on their areas in the north, they will resist using every means at their disposal. |
| The Tigers say minority Tamils are discriminated against by the majority Sinhalese population. | The Tigers say minority Tamils are discriminated against by the majority Sinhalese population. |