Date:17/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/17/stories/2008061760691300.htm

International

12 policemen killed in LTTE suicide blast

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: At least 12 police personnel were killed and 23 injured as a suspected LTTE cadre on a motorbike blew himself up in front of the Senior Superintendent of Police office complex in Vavuniya on Monday.

The attack targeted the police personnel leaving the SSP office for their duties. Among the 23 injured were 19 police personnel. The attack came as the military stepped up its operations Vavuniya and Mannar districts to make further forays into the Tiger controlled territory in the north.

The Defence Ministry said with the addition of two divisions to the Vavuniya front, troops have “set their main thrust” in the Wanni theatre in the west of A-9 road.

It said at least 29 LTTE cadre were killed and 19 injured in the fierce fighting on different fronts in the north. The Ministry said on the Jaffna theatre of battle, the troops attacked the LTTE positions in the Ponnar, Kilaly and Muhamalai areas.

The Ministry claimed that after ascertaining that the Voice of Tigers (VoT) is the official radio of the LTTE, the Serbian authorities have stopped the transmission of the station which broadcast programmes from June 1 to 9.