Four soldiers killed in Lanka mine blast

Colombo, Nov 18 (UNI) At least four soldiers, including an officer, were killed and three others injured during a claymore mine blast by the LTTE in the the northern Sri Lankan district of Vavuniya today.

''The military truck carrying seven soldiers was travelling from the Vavuniya town towards Thandikkulam northwards when the LTTE cadres on ambush detonated a powerful claymore after firing at the truck, killing four soldiers and wounding three more,'' Military spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe said.

Three civilians were also killed and eight more wounded during the cross-fire between the military and the LTTE cadres on ambush that took place near the Agricultural College at Thandikkulam on the A9 Jaffna-Kandy main highway in Vavuniya, military sources here said.

''Some civilians have also been affected in the blast. At least three civilians were killed and 12 more wounded in the blast and the subsequent exchange of fire with the LTTE cadres,'' Brig Samarasinghe said.

Among those wounded, the condition of eight civilians was stated to be critical.

When asked whether the civilians were students, the military spokesman said, ''May be, some of the civilians killed and wounded in the blast and the subsequent crossfire could have been the members of the Agricultural School.'' He said the LTTE had carried out the attack after infiltrating into the military garrison of Thandikkulam, mingling with the incoming civilians.

The incident took place a few meters away from the entry/exit point to the LTTE-held areas at Omanthai on the main highway.

The LTTE and the government locked horns over the closure of the entry/exit point to the northern Jaffna peninsula at the other end of the A9 main highway at Muhamalai, resulting in over 600,000 Tamil civilians in the peninsula to face severe shortage for food and other essentials.

UNI XC SI RS1333