Mine hits SLA bus

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
3 SLA soldiers were killed and 21 wounded and when a bus carrying more than forty SLA troops in a convoy was hit by a claymore mine today, around 11.45 a.m. in Vanthaarumoolai, 18 kilometers north of Batticaloa on the main trunk road.

The bus, which was taking troops out of Batticaloa, was hit by the LTTE mine about fifty yards from the Eastern University, said sources.

Firing was heard in the area they said. But it is not clear as to what happened to those at the university after the attack because the main road has been sealed off on either side and there is no telephone contact with the campus.

The condition of 10 wounded soldiers is said to be serious.

The 21 injured troops and the body of the soldier killed in the attack have been brought to the Batticaloa hospital. More are expected said hospital sources.

Meanwhile unconfirmed reports said that 8 SLA soldiers might have been killed in the mine attack.

3 civilians sustained slight injuries by the impact of the explosion.