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Tamil Tiger air strikes on bases Tamil Tigers 'launch air strike'
(about 1 hour later)
Tamil Tiger rebels have bombed military targets in the north-east of Sri Lanka using light aircraft. Tamil Tiger rebels have bombed military targets in the north-east of Sri Lanka using light aircraft, officials say.
Two military installations were hit by the rebels across the front line in the Welioya region, a security source said. A security source was quoted as saying two military installations were hit by the rebels in the Welioya region.
They dropped three bombs before flying back, the military said. Security forces have just launched a fresh drive against the Tigers in the area. The source said they dropped three bombs and flew back. Security forces have just launched a fresh drive against the Tigers in the area.
It was the fifth rebel aerial strike since the Tigers created an air force a year ago. It would be the fifth rebel aerial strike since the Tigers created an air force a year ago.
The attack came as police arrested nine people over a suspected rebel bomb blast that killed 26 people on a bus near the capital, Colombo, during rush hour on Friday evening. It came as police arrested nine people over a suspected rebel bomb blast that killed 26 people on a bus near the capital, Colombo, in Friday's evening rush hour.
Jets scrambled
Sunday's attack is said to have caused no damage but would indicate the rebels have the coordinates of military targets.Sunday's attack is said to have caused no damage but would indicate the rebels have the coordinates of military targets.
"They came and dropped three bombs," said military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara. "They came and dropped three bombs. Nobody was hurt, and no damage to any property," said military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara.
"Nobody was hurt, and no damage to any property." The rebels launched their last air strike in October 2007 on an air force base in Anuradhapura.
Troops on the ground had fired, and Air Force interceptor jets were scrambled, but the planes got away, he added.
The rebels have a number of Czech-built, two-seater, propeller-driven aircraft which were reportedly smuggled into the country in pieces before being reassembled and modified to carry bombs, says the BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo.
This was the first time the planes have been deployed since last October, when they backed up a ground assault on an air force base in Anuradhapura by a Tiger suicide squad, our correspondent adds.
The Tigers have fought for a generation for an independent state for the Tamil minority.The Tigers have fought for a generation for an independent state for the Tamil minority.
At least 70,000 people have died since the civil war began in 1983.At least 70,000 people have died since the civil war began in 1983.