US, Italian envoys to Sri Lanka injured in artillery attack

COLOMBO: The Ambassadors of the United States and Italy were injured on Monday in an artillery attack by suspected Tamil rebels in eastern Sri Lanka.

Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said US Ambassador Robert Blake and Italian envoy Pio Mariani were travelling with him to inspect military gains in the Batticaloa district where troops captured a key rebel stronghold last month.

The Italian ambassador Mariani had a head injury and was admitted to the Batticaloa hospital while the US envoy had minor injuries, doctors said.