01-07-2006, 12:16 AM
Tamil Tigers 'attack navy patrol'
Up to 15 Sri Lankan sailors are missing after a navy boat was ambushed by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels off the country's east coast, reports say.
A loud explosion rocked the port of Trincomalee, in the north-east of Sri Lanka, shortly after two patrol boats left the harbour on Friday night.
The incident would be the latest in a series of attacks by the separatist Tigers against military targets.
A navy spokesman told the Reuters news agency they suspected a suicide attack.
The recent attacks by Tamil Tiger rebels have raised fears that Sri Lanka may be sliding back into civil war after four years of an officials ceasefire.
December was the bloodiest month in four years, with 39 troops killed by the Tigers.
No progress
The peace process has been hamstrung since Sri Lanka's presidential election in November.
The government of new President Mahinda Rajapakse has been unable to agree on a venue for peace talks with the rebels.
On Friday around 10,000 people in Trincomalee attended the funeral of five Tamil students who were killed there earlier this week.
A post-mortem examination showed that the students had gunshot wounds, and the rebels have accused the Sri Lankan security forces of carrying out the killings. The army has denied any involvement.
Up to 15 Sri Lankan sailors are missing after a navy boat was ambushed by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels off the country's east coast, reports say.
A loud explosion rocked the port of Trincomalee, in the north-east of Sri Lanka, shortly after two patrol boats left the harbour on Friday night.
The incident would be the latest in a series of attacks by the separatist Tigers against military targets.
A navy spokesman told the Reuters news agency they suspected a suicide attack.
The recent attacks by Tamil Tiger rebels have raised fears that Sri Lanka may be sliding back into civil war after four years of an officials ceasefire.
December was the bloodiest month in four years, with 39 troops killed by the Tigers.
No progress
The peace process has been hamstrung since Sri Lanka's presidential election in November.
The government of new President Mahinda Rajapakse has been unable to agree on a venue for peace talks with the rebels.
On Friday around 10,000 people in Trincomalee attended the funeral of five Tamil students who were killed there earlier this week.
A post-mortem examination showed that the students had gunshot wounds, and the rebels have accused the Sri Lankan security forces of carrying out the killings. The army has denied any involvement.