7TH LEAD

Claymore explodes in Jaffna, SLA soldier killed in Muttur clash

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 April 2006, 11:33 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier, and a civilian were wounded in a Claymore explosion in Neerveli in Jaffna around 4:40 p.m. Saturday. The Claymore targeted an SLA truck, SLA sources in Jaffna said. In the meantime, sources in Colombo said one SLA soldier was killed in direct clash that erupted at Selvanagar in Thoppur in Muttur Division of the Trincomalee district around 1:45 p.m. Earlier on Saturday, a civilian was injured and several houses were damaged when SLA soldiers fired artillery shells from Kaddaiparichan army camp towards Ganeshapuram in Muttur east, according to reports reaching from LTTE controlled areas in Trincomalee district.

The civilian wounded in the Claymore explosion, S. Sithamparanadarajah, 60, was admitted at the Jaffna Hospital by the SLA soldiers.

Mr. Sithampararajah is from Moolai, Chulipuram.

The claymore attack in Jaffna took place at Siruppiddy in Neerveli on Jaffna - Pointpedro Road.

Several civilians were assaulted by SLA troops at Puththur and Neervely junctions following the explosion. A large nember of troops were deployed and security was tightened in the area. Road traffic were converted trough Rasa Veethy for nearly 2 hours, according to civilian travellers.

Normalcy resumed in Neerveli after 7:00 p.m. Vadamaradchi East, sources added.