Sri Lanka air force bombs rebel stronghold

Sri Lankan air force jets bombed the Tamil rebel stronghold of Kilinochchi today, killing at least four people, a spokesman for the rebel group said.

The air raid was the second in as many days after failed peace talks in Geneva between the rebels and the government over the weekend.

“The Sri Lankan air force dropped bombs that killed four people,” rebel spokesman Daya Master said.

He said at least four bombs fell behind a hospital very close to the headquarters.

“It was very close to us. We felt the shock,” Master said.

Military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe confirmed the air raids.

“We hae taken two targets,” Samarasinghe said – a base for Sea Tigers near Mannar in the north-west, away from Kilinochchi, and a rebel training area in Kilinochchi.

He said he had no details of the damage caused.