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Sri Lanka bombs rebels after blast kills 64

Sri Lankan military launched artillery attacks against suspected Tamil Tiger positions hours after blaming the rebels for the blast.

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Updated at 9.50 pm

COLOMBO: In one of the worst attacks since a 2002 truce, at least 64 passengers were killed and 80 hurt when a claymore mine, suspected to have been planted by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), blew up their bus in north-central Sri Lanka on Thursday, leading the army to respond by air and artillery strikes.

The victims were travelling to the town of Kebitigollewa from neighbouring villages when they were ambushed at Yakawela, along a lonely stretch of the road, defence ministry spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe said.

The bus toppled over and was dragged about 25 meters before it came to a halt after being hit by the powerful blast which he said was set off by the rebel LTTE guerrillas.

The military responded by launching air and artillery attacks against suspected LTTE positions in the districts of Trincomalee and Mullaitivu, in the north-east of the island,
officials said.

Artillery barrages and multi-barrel rocket launchers were used to hit Tiger positions at Sampur in Trincomalee, officials said. There were no immediate reports of casualties
from the military's retaliatory strikes, but unconfirmed reports said about dozen people were either killed or wounded in the long-range attacks.

Samarasinghe said the bombing was the worst attack against civilians since a February 2002 truce went into effect. “No one else would want to a do thing like this," Samarasinghe said.

"This is clearly the work of the Tigers," he said.

India condemns bomb blast

India has strongly condemned the bomb blast and said it was monitoring the situation there.

"There have been unfortunate developments in Sri Lanka. We are monitoring the situation there," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.

He said India condemns all violence especially that which involves loss of civilian lives, including that of children.

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