Bus bomb kills 16 in Sri Lanka
A suspected rebel bomb exploded on a bus in Sri Lanka today, killing 16 civilians and wounding 40 others, the military said.
The explosion took place while the vehicle was at a bus stop in the town of Piliyandala, just south of the capital Colombo, Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara.
“This is definitely an LTTE act,” he said, referring to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels.
The bomb was hidden in a parcel on the overhead rack above the third row of seats behind the driver, Mr Nanayakkara said.
Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan did not respond to calls seeking comment.
The rebels, responsible for scores of suicide bombings and other attacks on civilians, are listed as a terror group by the US, the EU and India.
The attack was the first major bombing since a suicide bomber killed 14 people, including a government minister and a former Olympian, at the start of a marathon on April 6.
