Sri Lankan minister dies in blast

A Sri Lankan government minister, DM Dassanayake, has died in hospital after a roadside bomb attack on his convoy.
The minister for nation-building was travelling between Colombo and the island's international airport when the bomb went off.

One other person died and about 10 were wounded in the blast in Ja-Ela town, some 12 miles (19km) north of Colombo.

Tamil Tiger rebels have been blamed for the attack. Fighting between troops and rebels has worsened in recent months.

There has been no comment from the Tamil Tigers.

Shattered windows

Mr Dassanayake died while undergoing surgery for severe head wounds, according to reports from the hospital in the nearby town of Ragama where he was taken.

"The minister was on his way to parliament when his white Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle was hit by a claymore [mine]," military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said.

The windows of the vehicle were shattered and photos show the passenger side riddled with holes.

Claymore mines are placed above the ground. They can be detonated by remote control and the explosives can be directed. They are frequently used by the Tamil Tigers.

Police sealed off the scene of the attack.

The Tigers have been blamed for a number of assassinations and attempted assassinations in recent years, including one in April, 2006 that badly injured the head of the army. Two months later they killed the third most senior army officer.

A year earlier suspicion for the killing of foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar fell on the Tigers.

There has been heavy fighting in the north of the country after the government said last week that it was pulling out of a 2002 ceasefire with the Tamil Tigers.

Hard-liners in the government and military are confident that the Tigers can be defeated.

The Norwegian-brokered ceasefire began breaking down two years ago, resulting in renewed fighting that has killed more than 5,000 people.

The military regularly say they are inflicting significant casualties on the Tigers in fighting in the north.

Last year they drove the Tigers from strongholds in the east of the island.

An air raid in November killed the head of the Tigers' political wing, SP Thamilselvan.

The Tamil Tigers started air attacks on the military last year.

In December the government released CCTV footage showing a Tamil Tiger suicide attacker blowing herself up in what was believed to be an attempt on the life of a cabinet minister, Douglas Devananda.

At least 70,000 people have died since the conflict began in 1983.

Story from BBC NEWS:

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Sad to hear that. . .

Srilanka is always in fight with their Tiger Rebels. . .

Hope everything will be Fine soon....

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OMG, v r thinking its only here. Rolling Eyes

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Its really a very sad news .I feel sorry for the minister who lost his life in the attack . may his soul rest in peace .

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