One soldier killed, six wounded in Colombo blast

Colombo, May 24 (UNI) At least one Lankan army soldier was killed and six people, including three military personnel, wounded when a powerful claymore mine fixed to a motorbike exploded, targeting a bus carrying military personnel here this morning.

Colombo National Hospital sources confirmed that four wounded military personnel and two civilians from the explosion site were admitted to the hospital.

It said one of the wounded soldiers succumbed to his injuries a few hours after being admitted.

''According to initial investigations, the military bus carrying four military personnel was travelling near 1st Cross Street on the Reclamation road in Colombo Fort area when the powerful claymore mine fixed to a motorbike exploded, wounding all four soldiers'' a defence official told UNI over the phone.

Blaming the LTTE for the blast, the defence official said two civilian by-passers were also injured in the explosion.

The explosion took place despite tight security measures in and around Colombo.

UNI