Trouble in Yala again

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 June 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Sri Lankan Army (SLA) sergeant was killed and 7 other soldiers were wounded when unidentified gunmen opened fire at an army vehicle, near Yale sanctuary on the Buttala-Kadhirgamam road in the southern Sri Lanka, today said SLA sources.

The dead SLA soldier has been identified as Pathirirane, said sources.

The gunmen later stopped 5 lorries travelling through the area and set fire to them after allowing the passangers to go, the sources said.

A group of 10 well armed men in army uniform carried out this attack, said army sources.

The armed group withdrew from the area when the army rushed to the area. A search operation is under way, said sources.

Two members of the attacking group are believed to have been killed when the army opend fire at them, according to unconfirmed reports.

The Yala sanctuary which is one of the island's main tourist attractions lies on the southern end of the Ampara district. The southern edge of the Yala park is contiguous with the southern province.

Kadhirgamam is on the southern edge of the Yala national park in the south east of the island.