3RD LEAD (CORRECTION, UPDATE)

11 SLA killed in ambush, civilians wounded in blast

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 July 2007, 08:27 GMT]
A bus carrying Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers from Mannaar to Mathavaachchi was ambushed by attackers who triggered a Claymore mine on the vehicle, killing 10 SLA personnel on the spot and wounding 8 around 1:00 p.m. Tuesday at Cheddikku'lam, Police in Vavuniyaa said. Following the attack, 9 wounded civilians were admitted at the nearby hospital and transferred to Vavuniyaa hospital, medical sources said. Three civilians, wounded in the blast, have sustained serious injuries.

One of the 8 wounded soldiers admitted at Anuradhapura hospital, succumbed to his wounds.

T. Iyngkaran, a Field Officer attached to Seva Lanka, was among the wounded. He was inside a restaurant when the blast occurred. His vehicle, parked outside, was damaged in the blast.

A. Anandarajah, 45, a driver of a civilian bus parked nearby was seriously injured in the blast. The conductor of his bus, K. Uthayakumar, 27, has also sustained injuries caused by the explosion.

Two of the SLA personnel, killed in the ambush, were workers at SLA camp, according to military sources in Vavuniyaa.

The ambush comes in the wake of the SLA stepping up direct offensives and Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) operations into Liberation Tigers controlled territory along the Vavuniyaa Mannaar border in the recent weeks.

Cheddikku'lam is located 23 km southwest of Vavuniyaa.