Suicide bomb attack on S.Lanka army chief, 8 dead
Ranga Sirilal
Reuters
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Colombo (Sri Lanka):
A suspected Tamil Tiger suicide bomber disguised as a pregnant woman blew herself up inside Sri Lanka's army headquarters on Tuesday, critically wounding the army commander and killing at least eight.
The blast came as peace envoys from Norway tried to coax the rebels to return to peace talks in Switzerland, seen as the best chance of halting a wave of attacks that are straining a 2002 ceasefire to breaking point.
"A suicide bomb went off near the army hospital aimed at the army commander's vehicle. It was a powerful blast," an army spokesman said.
Sri Lanka's north and east have been rocked by claymore fragmentation mine attacks and ethnic riots this month as a peace process between the government and Tigers remains deadlocked, but this was the first suicide attack in the capital in two years.
The Tigers were unavailable for comment, but have denied involvement in recent attacks. More than 100 people have died in the bloodiest two weeks since the Norwegian-brokered ceasefire halted the civil war that killed more than 64,000.
Apr 25, 2006
Ranga Sirilal
Reuters
______
Colombo (Sri Lanka):
A suspected Tamil Tiger suicide bomber disguised as a pregnant woman blew herself up inside Sri Lanka's army headquarters on Tuesday, critically wounding the army commander and killing at least eight.
The blast came as peace envoys from Norway tried to coax the rebels to return to peace talks in Switzerland, seen as the best chance of halting a wave of attacks that are straining a 2002 ceasefire to breaking point.
"A suicide bomb went off near the army hospital aimed at the army commander's vehicle. It was a powerful blast," an army spokesman said.
Sri Lanka's north and east have been rocked by claymore fragmentation mine attacks and ethnic riots this month as a peace process between the government and Tigers remains deadlocked, but this was the first suicide attack in the capital in two years.
The Tigers were unavailable for comment, but have denied involvement in recent attacks. More than 100 people have died in the bloodiest two weeks since the Norwegian-brokered ceasefire halted the civil war that killed more than 64,000.
Apr 25, 2006
