12-28-2005, 09:11 AM
More deaths in eastern Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan government forces are facing an upsurge in violence
At least two suspected Tamil Tigers have been shot dead by Sri Lankan troops in the east, a day after a Tamil parliamentarian was killed in the area.
Military officials say the rebels were killed when they allegedly attacked the soldiers and they fired back.
On Sunday, Tamil MP Joseph Pararajasingham, 71, was shot at close range at a church in Batticaloa.
Both the Tamil Tigers and the government have blamed each other over the killing.
"When we were clearing an area... two terrorists tried to attack our troops," military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Sarasinghe is quoted as saying by AP of the latest attack.
Two civilians were also killed in the north-eastern town of Trincomalee, reports say.
Increased violence in recent weeks has deeply concerned international mediators, who say the 2002 ceasefire is in grave danger.
Killing
Mr Pararajasingham represented the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) party in parliament.
The TNA is linked to the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Police said at least eight other people, including Mr Pararajasingham's wife, were injured in the shooting at a crowded midnight service at St Mary's church in Batticaloa, 300km (190 miles) east of the capital, Colombo.
The motive for the killing was unclear.
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The Tigers said "chauvinistic forces have taken away this patriot who has worked for the Tamil nation's liberation and promotion of human rights".
Meanwhile the government said the Tigers had planned the killing, as they "were desperately trying to divert the attention elsewhere and create mayhem and havoc while eschewing political discussions".
The Tamil Tigers have been fighting for a fully-independent ethnic homeland since 1983.
Sri Lankan government forces are facing an upsurge in violence
At least two suspected Tamil Tigers have been shot dead by Sri Lankan troops in the east, a day after a Tamil parliamentarian was killed in the area.
Military officials say the rebels were killed when they allegedly attacked the soldiers and they fired back.
On Sunday, Tamil MP Joseph Pararajasingham, 71, was shot at close range at a church in Batticaloa.
Both the Tamil Tigers and the government have blamed each other over the killing.
"When we were clearing an area... two terrorists tried to attack our troops," military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Sarasinghe is quoted as saying by AP of the latest attack.
Two civilians were also killed in the north-eastern town of Trincomalee, reports say.
Increased violence in recent weeks has deeply concerned international mediators, who say the 2002 ceasefire is in grave danger.
Killing
Mr Pararajasingham represented the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) party in parliament.
The TNA is linked to the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Police said at least eight other people, including Mr Pararajasingham's wife, were injured in the shooting at a crowded midnight service at St Mary's church in Batticaloa, 300km (190 miles) east of the capital, Colombo.
The motive for the killing was unclear.
À¢.À¢.º¢ ¦ºö¾¢
The Tigers said "chauvinistic forces have taken away this patriot who has worked for the Tamil nation's liberation and promotion of human rights".
Meanwhile the government said the Tigers had planned the killing, as they "were desperately trying to divert the attention elsewhere and create mayhem and havoc while eschewing political discussions".
The Tamil Tigers have been fighting for a fully-independent ethnic homeland since 1983.