|
|
| Suicide attack on Navy convoy, 98 killed 116 injured |
|
|
 (Oct 16, 11.30 p.m, third edition) Ninety eight naval personnel were killed when LTTE suicide cadres rammed an explosive laden Canter lorry into a convoy of buses transporting Navy men at Diganpathana on the Dambulla-Habarana road around 1.45 this afternoon.
Another 116 were injured in the blast.
Bodies of 88 naval personnel had been brought of the Dambulla Hospital and 3 others died while being transported to the Kurunegala Hospital, a spokesman of the Dambulla Hospital told 'Lanka e News'.
According to him 72 of the injured had been transferred to the Kurunegala Hospital and three of them had succumbed to injuries on the way to the hospital. Several other wounded have been dispatched to the Polonnaruwa and Anradhapura Hospitals. Five of the injured receiving treatment at the Dambulla Hospital had bee discharged and nine others have undergone surgery, a doctor of the hospital said. He added that arrangements are underway to airlift several critically injured persons to the Colombo National Hospital.
Diganpathana, where the suicide attack was carried out is a transit point for naval personnel coming home on leave and those returning to camps after leave. Around 15 Navy buses had been parked near Liyanage Hotel,Diganpathana when explosive filled lorry driven at high speed towards Dambulla from Habarana by suicide LTTE cadres crashed into the buses. All the buses had been severely damaged and some of them had caught fire with the explosion.
The attack came amidst the visit of special Japanese peace envoy Yasushi Akashi who arrived last night was about to meet the President and senior government figures and the expected visit tomorrow of Norwegian peace envoy Hanssen Bauer. The government and the LTTE are scheduled to hold talks on the 28-29 of this month and today's suicide |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Although you recieve this free news service, LeN bears expenditure.
If you are satisfied with this, contribute your donation. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
