Lanka hits back Tigers with aerial raid in East

Colombo, Feb 27 (UNI) The Sri Lankan Air Force jet bombed ''an identified LTTE base'' in the rebel-held Batticaloa area today, Defence Ministry here said.

This comes barely a couple of hours after a group of Colombo-based Ambassadors were injured in the LTTE mortar shelling on an airfield in the Eastern Batticaloa district.

''Immediately retaliating to the LTTE heavy mortar shell attack endangering the lives of over 30 foreign and local dignitaries, the SLAF airborne fighter jets pounded on an identified terrorist base at the un-cleared area in Thoppigala today,'' the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

''Military officials confirmed that the air sorties were conducted on pre-identified LTTE heavy mortar launching pads,'' the statement said.

Eleven people, including the US and Italian Ambassadors to Sri Lanka, and few security force personnel were wounded in LTTE artillery and mortar shelling in the Eastern Batticaloa district this morning.

The Tigers have promptly regretted the attack and blamed the Sri Lankan government of putting the diplomats in danger.

Two military helicopters carrying a top delegation led by Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe, and comprising US Ambassador Robert O'Blake, Italian Ambassador Pio Mariani, German Ambassador Jurgen Weerth and few other foreign diplomats were landing when the mortar shells fired by the LTTE cadres hit the pad at the Batticaloa Air Force base.

Although the diplomatic delegation had a narrow escape, the US and the Italian Ambassador Pio Mariani sustained minor injuries before being evacuated to a safer place.

According to the Batticaloa hospital sources, Mr Mariani was among the 11 people who had been treated for minor injuries after the morning incident.

Expressing ''deep regret'' for the injuries caused to the foreign diplomats, the Tamil Tiger rebels blamed Sri Lanka for risking the lives of foreign envoys by bringing them into the artillery launch-pads inside the military zone without informing the rebels in advance.

UNI