10 Lankan soldiers killed, 14 wounded in Vavuniya bus blast

Colombo, July 24 (UNI) At least ten Sri Lankan soldiers were killed and 14 others including eight civilians wounded today when a bus carrying soldiers came under a powerful claymore mine attack by the suspected Tamil Tiger rebels, military sources here said.

''The bus was carrying unarmed army personnel going on leave when it came under the mine blast at Cheddikulam on the Mannar-Madawachchiya road about 1255 hrs, killing ten soldiers and wounding six others. The injured has been rushed to the General Hospital Anuradhapura,'' military sources said.

''Of the wounded civilians two were in serious conditions,'' the sources said, adding the search operation was underway in and around the blast site.

The blast took place barely a few hours after Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasingha claimed that there was a significant increase of LTTE activities in the Wanni front during the past couple of days.

Speaking at the weekly media briefing here in Colombo, Brig Samarasinghe also said Army would be compelled to launch military operations towards the LTTE-held Wanni area if they continue to attack the security forces and civilians.

There is no immediate reaction from the LTTE in this regard so far.

UNI