Lankan Minister injured in mine attack

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Minister D M Dassanayake was injured along with 11 others in a powerful landmine attack on their convoy near Colombo on Tuesday.
      
A claymore mine exploded as the vehicles crossed the Rukmani Devi junction along the Colombo-Negombo road.
    
Dassanayake, Minister for Nation Building, and two others suffered serious injuries and were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, officials said.
     
Nine others were also injured in the explosion and were receiving treatment.
     
Violence has escalated in the strife-torn country following government's decision to pull out of a tattered 2002 ceasefire agreement with the LTTE vowing to 'demonstrate' its 'military strength'.
    
The attack comes just three days after the head of LTTE's military intelligence 'Colonel' Charles was killed by the Sri Lankan army in northwestern Mannar.