Lankan air strikes on LTTE targets after civilians massacre

Colombo, June 16 (UNI) Sri Lanka's Air Force continued with its air strikes on ''known LTTE targets'' in the rebel-held Wanni region for the second day after the massacre of over 60 civilians in a bus bomb explosion by suspected LTTE cadres.

''The Air Force has taken some known LTTE targets this morning in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu areas,'' Military Spokesman Brig Prasad Samarasinghe told UNI over phone.

The casualty figures of the air strikes were not known immediately.

The government blamed the Tamil Tigers for blowing up a civilian passenger bus, that left at least 64 civilians, including children and women killed and 80 more wounded at Kebithigollewa in the North-Central Anuradhapura district yesterday. The LTTE, however, has denied their involvement in the blast.

Visiting the blast site and the victims at the Kebithigollewa and Anuradhapura hospitals, President Mahinda Rajapakse said the attack by the LTTE would not deter him from pursuing the peace process.

''We will not let this incident, however barbaric it is, sabotage the peace process. We are deeply committed to the peace process,'' the State-run Daily News newspaper has quoted President Rajapakse as saying at Kebithigollewa.

Vehemently condemning the massacre President Rajapakse has said that his government would step up its effort to keep the international community aware on the LTTE atrocities, the media report said.

UNI XC SRS RP DS1420