Bus Blast: 15 civilians killed, 25 wounded in Lanka

Colombo, Dec 5: At least 15 civilians were killed and about 25 wounded when suspected Tamil Tiger rebels ambushed a bus with a bomb in north-central Anuradhapura district tonight, military sources here said.

''A government transport board bus carrying civilians was caught up in the claymore mine explosion around 2045 hrs local time at Abhimanapura, located about nine km from Kebithigollawa towards Padaviya, killing about 15 passengers and injuring another 25,'' the sources said.

The military suspected the involvement of the Tamil Tiger rebels in the blast, which took place within a week after the twin blasts that left 20 civilians killed and over 40 wounded in Colombo last week.

In a similar incident last year at Kebithigollawa, at least 64 civilians, including children, had been killed and several others wounded.

Further details are awaited.

UNI