News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Saturday, 26 June 1999, 14:42 GMT]
Refugee families land at Pallimunai; Bus services suspended following fresh army operations; Children injured by booby trap.

Refugee families land at Pallimunai

Twelve people belonging to three displaced families, who had sought refuge in the Puthukudiyiruppu area of the Mullaitivu district, landed at Pallimunai in Mannar this morning, said sources in Mannar.

They started their journey from Puthukudiyiruppu last Saturday and had walked all the way to reach the area north of Paappamoddai and then sailed in fishing boats to land at Pallimunai.

Sources said that they had approached the police on the beach holding white flags.

After the necessary inquiries had been made the refugees were handed over to the Village Officer in the area and they are now in the church under the care of the Parish Priest, the sources said.

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Bus services suspended following fresh army operations

The Sri Lankan army suspended the bus service between Mannar and Vavuniya today after it started a new operation in the early hours of the morning beyond Paappamoddai, north of Mannar along the Pooneryn road.

About 500 people who had set off from Vavuniya to go to the LTTE held areas in the Vanni were turned back at the Veppankulam army check point, 4 km west of Vavuniya.

State and private buses returned to Vavuniya town with goods and passengers at around 11.00 a.m. in the morning, said officials.

The bus service from Mannar island to the mainland and the southern areas was also suspended from this morning. Transport authorities have told passengers that the suspension of bus service will continue until further notice.

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Children injured by booby trap

Three school children were wounded when a booby trap exploded yesterday evening at Thandikulam, about two km north of Vavuniya, said sources.

Vavuniya hospital sources said that the wounded Enoshan (13), Laveendran (13) and Gagendran (10) have been transferred to Anuradhapura for further treatment.

One boy had lost a finger, one had facial injuries while the other was wounded in his legs below the knees, according to the hospital sources.