13 killed, 24 hurt in Lanka blast

At least 13 people, including a woman and two school children, were killed and 24 injured in a landmine attack on an army bus by suspected LTTE rebels in the heart of the Sri Lankan capital on Wednesday, a day after a Tamil lawmaker was shot dead at a temple here.

“LTTE militants have carried out a cowardly bomb attack targeting civilians and an Army bus carrying sick personnel in Colombo this morning,” a Defence Ministry statement said. The explosion took place at 9.30 am local time in front of the Nippon Hotel at Slave Island where the military has several key installations.

Four people, including two teenage school children and a woman, were killed in the blast, defence spokesman Udaya Nayannakara said, adding the explosion also left 24 people injured. Of the injured 14 were civilians and 10 soldiers, National Hospital sources said. Four of the wounded were in serious condition. The bomb was apparently placed inside one of the external unit of the air conditioning machines of the hotel.