2ND LEAD (UPDATE, ADDED PHOTOS)

4 SLA troopers killed in Claymore attack in Vavuniya, 11 wounded

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 April 2006, 04:24 GMT]
Four Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and 10 wounded when a Claymore mine fixed to a three-wheeler parked along the Vavuniya-Mannar road at Veppankulam, 2.6 km nortwest of Vavuniya targetted an SLA vehicle, police sources in Vavuniya said. A civilian was also wounded in the attack that took place around 8:50 a.m., Monday. The soldiers at the site opened fire for more than 10 minutes and the road remained blocked for all traffic, civilian sources said.



The wounded civilian, Mr. Nagarajah, 35, was admitted to Vavuniya hospital.

Soldiers wounded in the incident were transferred to Colombo, according to medical sources.

A security guard, Mr. Thayaroopan, at Vavuniya hospital was arrested by the Sri Lankan forces allegedly for taking photograph, hospital sources said.

The clandestine group "Uprising Peoples Force," claimed responsibility for the attack and said the attacks will not cease till the Sri Lankan Army is "evicted from the Tamil soil."