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Cabinet swearing marred by LTTE attacks, toll 16
LTTE Wednesday staged major attacks against army troops and police, killing at least 16 people on the eve of a new cabinet of ministers being sworn in, defence officials said.
LTTE Wednesday staged major attacks against army troops and police, killing at least 16 people on the eve of a new cabinet of ministers being sworn in, defence officials said.
LTTE rebels fired 120 mm mortar bombs at the Pahala Toppur army base in the northeastern district of Trincomalee in a bid to overrun the camp, officials said.
Defence ministry spokesman Sanath Karunaratne said security forces beat back the pre-dawn rebel assault by killing at least six guerrillas. Three soldiers were also killed and 20 of them wounded.
Troop reinforcements were able to repulse the attack and take back a bunker line that the terrorists occupied briefly, Karunaratne said. Security forces captured four automatic rifles used by the attackers.
In a simultaneous attack, LTTE struck Valachhenai police station in the adjoining Batticaloa district. Six constables and a civilian employee of the nearby telecommunications exchange were killed.
Another 11 were wounded in the attack against the police, when the guerrillas set ablaze the police station.
The guerrillas also destroyed the local telephone exchange at Valachchenai. The twin attacks came even as a new government headed by the United National Party of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was preparing to swear in cabinet after talks with arch political rival President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
Bureau Report
Troop reinforcements were able to repulse the attack and take back a bunker line that the terrorists occupied briefly, Karunaratne said. Security forces captured four automatic rifles used by the attackers.
In a simultaneous attack, LTTE struck Valachhenai police station in the adjoining Batticaloa district. Six constables and a civilian employee of the nearby telecommunications exchange were killed.
Another 11 were wounded in the attack against the police, when the guerrillas set ablaze the police station.
The guerrillas also destroyed the local telephone exchange at Valachchenai. The twin attacks came even as a new government headed by the United National Party of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was preparing to swear in cabinet after talks with arch political rival President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
Bureau Report