Mine blast kills 5 Lankan soldiers

Colombo, Mar 30 (UNI) Five Sri Lankan soldiers were killed and one injured when the tractor they were travelling in came under a claymore mine blast by the suspected Tamil Tiger rebels in the Northern Vavuniya district today, military sources said.

''LTTE cadres detonated a claymore mine targetting a tractor carrying meals for the security forces personnel at Parayanakulam in Vavuniya this afternoon, killing five soldiers on the spot,'' the defence sources said, adding that the injured soldier was rushed to the nearby hospital.

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry in a statement said at least eight internally displaced civilians in the Eastern Batticaloa district were killed and few more injured due LTTE mortar shelling last night.

''Indiscriminate LTTE mortar shell fire killed eight and injured over 15 other civilians at Sithandycand Murakottanchenai in Batticaloa,''it said.

UNI