1 SL soldier killed, 3 wounded in LTTE shelling

Colombo, Apr 10: One Sri Lankan soldier was killed and three wounded when the Tamil Tiger rebels fired long-range mortar shells on the military's Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) at Omanthai, this morning, military sources here said.

''The LTTE launched a mortar attack on the military's FDLs at Omanthai, the northern most border of the government-held area in the northern Vavuniya district entry-exit point, killing three soldiers and wounding three more. The entry-exit point has been temporarily closed for civilians following the attack,'' a military official said.

''The objective of these attacks by the LTTE is to obstruct the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) arrival and thus prevent transport of foodstuffs by the government to un-cleared areas on the eve of the Sinhala and Tamil New year and cause hardships to the people,'' the Defence ministry said.

UNI