Curfew lifted in Colombo

Press, 27 April 1987, Page 10

Curfew lifted in Colombo

NZPA-Reuter Colombo Sri Lankan authorities have lifted the near-total curfew enforced on Colombo after a huge bomb blast killed 106 people and injured 300 last Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Government has launched a diplomatic drive to explain to foreign countries a military offensive against the Tamil separatist guerrillas blamed for the blast.

The Acting Foreign Minister, Tyronne Fernando, began a series of meetings yesterday with foreign ambassadors to brief them on the present situation, said Ministry officials. Mr Fernando met the envoys as warplanes hit rebel bases in their northern stronghold of Jaffna for the fourth consecutive day and ground forces attacked guerrilla hideouts in the eastern districts.

A Government spokes-

man said the Air Force attacked guerrilla camps at Point Pedro, Knakesanturai, Kattuwan and Chavakachcheri, in the northern Jaffna peninsula. He said troops and rebels also exchanged mortar fire in these areas. No casualty figures were given for the ground action.

The spokesman said 100 rebels and an unspecified number of civilians were killed in the air raids, which began on Thursday in retaliation for the bombing of Colombo’s main bus terminal. The Government also said security forces overran the main base of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the jungles of Eeralukulam, in the eastern district of Batticaloa, on Saturday. It said an unspecified number of rebels had been killed and captured, and a large cache of arms seized.