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| Sri Lankan Air Force Bombs Rebel Targets |
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Sri Lankan Air Force jets bombed several identified targets of Tamil Tiger rebels early Sunday morning, defense officials said. Officials from the Media Center for National Security said the air raids were carried out at about 5:35 AM(24:05 GMT) on targets near the airstrip of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at Iranamadu in the rebel controlled northern Wanni district, adding that the raids were successful. The air raids came shortly after LTTE aircraft dropped four bombs in the capital Colombo. Group Captain Ajantha Silva, the Air Force spokesman, said "the LTTE had dropped four bombs at two different locations around 1:30 AM(20:00 GMT), one landed at Kolonnawa (about 15 km east of Colombo) and another at Muthurajawela (about 15 km north of Colombo)." Silva said the damages caused by the bombs were not serious but the bombing at Muthurajawela had caused fire. No people was killed or injured in the LTTE air attack, said the spokesman. The pro-LTTE website quoted LTTE Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan as saying oil and fuel storages in Kolonnawa and Muthurajawela were attacked by LTTE aircraft at 1:50 AM (20:20 GMT) and 2:05 AM(20:35 GMT) respectively. Ilanthirayan said that LTTE bombers had safely returned to their airbase in the rebel controlled Vanni district. Silva said half an hour before the rebel attack in Colombo, the Air Force carried out air raids at the LTTE held Kilinochchi district. He said the air defense system was activated in the early hours of Sunday when the military got information that suspected Tamil Tiger rebel aircraft were approaching Colombo. Electricity was switched off in the city and the firing of anti- aircraft guns caused panic. Loud explosion sounds due to anti aircraft gun fire could be heard in many parts of the city and suburbs. Officials said the functioning of the country's only international airport near Colombo was normal. The incident came as many people in the city were watching the Cricket World Cup final match between Australia and Sri Lanka. This is the third air strike carried out by LTTE rebels on government targets. The government has vowed to destroy the Tiger air capability but so far failed to achieve its target. Government troops and LTTE rebels are currently being locked in fierce battles in the island country's north and east. More than 4,000 soldiers, LTTE rebels and civilians have been killed since December 2005 with the escalation of violence. The LTTE has been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland in the north and east since 1970s. (Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2007) |
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