Tigers quit Sri Lanka town, bomb hurled at tsunami relief centre

A bomb exploded at a tsunami relief centre in volatile northeast Sri Lanka, wounding nine civilians while 12 soldiers were wounded in separate grenade attacks, officials said.





A bomb exploded at a tsunami relief centre in volatile northeast Sri Lanka, wounding nine civilians while 12 soldiers were wounded in separate grenade attacks, officials said. The pre-dawn attack on the centre came mid mounting fears for the fragile truce between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels, who without warning Wednesday quit their offices in the government-held town of Trincomalee.

The bomb was hurled at a security post at the tsunami welfare centre in the Muslim town of Muttur, police said on Wednesday, blaming Tamil Tiger guerrillas for the attack.

By late Wednesday evening, troops transporting dinner for colleagues were ambushed with another grenade attack that wounded an officer and eight troopers, defence ministry spokesman Daya Ratnayake said.

He said they suspected Tamil Tigers were behind the attack.

Two other soldiers were also wounded when the tsunami relief centre sentry point was attacked, he said.

There was no immediate reaction from the guerrillas.

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