by Norman Palihawadena
Two Special Task Force teams were flown to the Monaragala District from Batticaloa yesterday following the killing of 10 more civilians by the LTTE in Hambegamuwa and Kalawelgala in Tanamalwila.
On Thursday night around 10 pm residents of Kalawelgala noticed an armed gang and informed the Police, who rushed to the village accompanied by some home guards. On seeing the Police the Tigers had opened fire killing three civilians and injuring four others, including a home guard. Police, too, opened fire but the LTTE cadres had fled under cover of the night. The injured were rushed to the Tanamalwila Hospital.
In a search operation conducted yesterday morning at Hambegamuwa, Police recovered six more bodies of civilians with gun shot injuries. Later another body of a civilian with gun shot injuries was found at Kalawelgala. A total of ten bodies were recovered by the Police in Tanamalwila and Hambegamuwa.
Police, Army and the two STF teams rushed to the area yesterday and combed the jungles around Tanamalwila but could not find any trace of LTTE cadres. However, three people suspected of providing information to the Tigers, were detained.
During the search operation in Tanamalwila an anti personnel mine was recovered, police said.
Source : Island
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