17 terrorists killed in yesterday's

Military reports from the Northern battlefronts indicate that army has inflicted considerable losses upon the terrorists during yesterday's (January 16) clashes.

In the Jaffna theatre, army infantrymen deployed along the Kilaly front confronted with a group of terrorists around 11.45, last night. Ground troops confirmed that 02 terrorists were killed in the incident.

Meanwhile, snipers deployed on the Kilaly defence line claimed that one more terrorist was shot down around 3.40.p.m. On the Muhamalai front, another terrorist was reported killed by the snipers around 2.30.p.m

Troops confront with LTTE group

Troops launched an operation in the general area Weliara east bank, 1 Km south of Kehelwatte, confronted with a group of terrorists this morning at 9.15 am (17 January). Troops were tracking the terrorists' withdrawal roots when they came under LTTE fire.

According to the defence sources one soldier received injuries during the confrontation and the injured was rushed for immediate medical attention. Further, Media Centre for National security says that troops are still on pursuit of the withdrawing terrorists.

Injured fired upon in Okkampitiya

Acting Medical Superintendent of the Moneragala hospital Dr. Janaka Prasad said that the dead and the injured of the Okkampitiya blast had been shot by an unidentified group seconds after the blast.

Another blast in Buththala

A bomb targeting a Unicorn vehicle of the SL Army on the Buththala Katharagama Road exploded a while ago this morning.

Uva Province schools will be closed

Chief Minister of Uva Province Vijithamuni Soysa just announced that all the Uva Province schools will be closed indefinitely following the Okkampitiya blast. According to reports three school children were among the dead from the blast.

A Bomb has exploded in Weli Ara

A bomb has exploded in a CTB bus in Weli Ara in Okkampitiya, in the Buttala police division. The total number of deaths due to the blast in a CTB bus in Okkampitiya has risen to 23.


Defence.lk:

LTTE terrorists have carried out a cowardly bomb blast targeting innocent school children at Okkampitiya, Monaragala this morning (16 January).According to the available information the bus belongs to Wellavaya depot which was plying from Buttala to Okkampitiya with large number of school children has been targeted in the explosion.

Police sources said that the terrorists have exploded claymore mine targeting the bus and subsequently opened fire at the survivors. The explosion has taken place around 7.40 am at a location close to the 3rd mile post at Weliara, Okkampitiya. Over 67 casualties have been taken to the Monaragala hospital, the sources added. According to the Hospital sources more than 23 people have been killed in the incident. These figures can be increased, sources further added. Thirteen females and 10 males are among the deaths.

LTTE is a ruthless terrorist outfit notorious for crimes against women and children. In its pursuit for a mono ethnic separate homeland for Tamils, the outfit has killed and maimed over tens and thousands innocent children in ethnic cleansing raids, indiscriminate bomb attacks and by using child soldiers at the battle fronts. FBI in a recent report called LTTE the most dangerous terrorist outfit in the world.