COLOMBO: Nineteen people were killed in a fresh wave of violence in Sri Lanka's restive northeastern region, police and military officials said on Sunday.
 
Gunmen entered a home in the northern islet of Kayts late on Saturday and shot dead nine people and wounded two, military officials said.
 
Three civilians were gunned down in another incident in Kayts, on Saturday.
 
The authorities are investigating if the killings are linked to the Tamil separatist conflict.
 
Two people were shot dead in the northeast port district of Trincomalee on Sunday, allegedly by a breakaway faction of Tamil Tigers, police said. 
 
There had been a spate of tit-for-tat killings in north and east regions in recent weeks.