SLA officer killed, four troopers injured in Vavuniya in two separate attacks

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 February 2007, 11:44 GMT]
Unidentified armed persons attacked a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) road patrol unit at Pandarikulam road in Vepankulam, Vavuniya Monday around 11:05 a.m. killing an officer and injuring a trooper, sources in Vavuniya said. Meanwhile, SLA said that three troopers were injured in an attack by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Monday early morning at Macanar road in Sector 5, Vavuniya.

The officer killed was identified as Captain Dammika Kumara. His body was first taken to Vavuniya hospital and then to the SLA camp.

The injured trooper was rushed to Vavuniya Military hospital.

Tension prevailed in Vepankulam, where all shops were shut and all traffic came to a halt, following the attack.

SLA claimed that the ambush was launched by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres who had escaped from the site of attack.

Meanwhile, the troopers injured in the Sector-5 attack were first first rushed to Vavuniya hospital and later transferred to Anuradapura hospital.

Vavuniya police claimed that an LTTE cadre was killed in the SLA retaliation and that arrangements are being made to bring the body to Vavuniya.