2ND LEAD

8 civilians killed in SLA DPU attacks in Vanni

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 February 2008, 18:01 GMT]
Eight innocent civilians riding in tractors were killed in two different Claymore attacks carried out by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit teams that had infiltrated into Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled areas on either sides of the A9 road, north of Vavuniyaa on Wednesday. The first attack, in which four civilians were killed, was reported at Panangkaamam in Moon'ru Mu'rippu GS area of Maanthai East division in Mullaiththeevu district at 1:50 p.m. The second attack was reported at 8:30 p.m. in which another four civilians were slain while they were riding in a tractor from Maruthoadai to Olumadu.

The victims of the DPU attack in Panangkaamam were identified as Parthipan, 18, Shanmugalingam Thavarasa, Selvaratnam Senthooran and Kunapalasingham Jegagiritharan. All the four were killed on the spot.

The victims of the second attack were identified as Vimalathas, Kandasamy, Mariyan and Vijayakumar.

Further details are not available at the moment.