Suicide attack in Sri Lanka kills Army Deputy chief

Colombo, June 26 : Deputy chief of the Sri Lankan Army Parami Kulatunga and five others, icluding two army personnel and as many suicide bombers, were killed and nine others injured in a powerful suicide explosion at Pannipitiya, approximately 18 km east of Colombo on the Thalawattugoda-Kottawa road early this morning.

''Two LTTE suicide cadres rammed the explosive-packed motor cycle onto the vehicle of the Sri Lankan army's Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General Parami Kulatunga near Pannipitiya, killing him and two military personnel on the spot,'' a military spokesman said, adding at least nine people were injured in the explosion.

He said one more civilian was also killed in the explosion, increasing the death toll to six, which includes the two suicide cadres.

The injured people had been rushed to the nearby Kalubowila hospital in Dehiwela.

Reports from the scene say the targeted motor vehicle is ablaze while another back-up vehicle was also damaged.

Special Police teams and the Army bomb disposal squads have rushed to the spot and have cordoned off the area.

UNI

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