Soldiers on rampage

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 October 1999, 09:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army soldiers went on rampage in Vankalai in the Mannar district, burning five houses, two boathouses and five boat engines last night said sources there. Several civilians were also assaulted by the troops the sources added.

The sources said the troops were believed to be from a special unit that had been sent yesterday from Mannar. Vankalai is 5 km. north of Mannar.

The troops had also set fire to several other houses, boathouses and fences. But the local residents had acted promptly in putting out the fires, preventing larger destruction, the sources added.

Also yesterday evening, a few drunken policemen assaulted a bus driver and attempted to set fire to a bus. However, a police office at the scene had stopped policemen from setting fire to the bus, the sources said.

Sources said the security forces were retaliating to the attack on the police camp at Thomaspuri in Vankalai yesterday morning. Nine military trained policemen were killed and 17 were wounded in the attack.

Sources said the Tigers are believed to have recovered several weapons from the police, and added that the attackers had burned down some of the sentry posts.

Tensions prevail in the area the sources said.

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