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| Bombing on eve of Sri Lanka polls | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| At least 11 people have been killed in a bombing on the eve of elections in eastern Sri Lanka, the military says. | At least 11 people have been killed in a bombing on the eve of elections in eastern Sri Lanka, the military says. |
| More than 20 others were wounded in the blast in a cafe in the town of Ampara, 220km (130 miles) from Colombo. Tamil Tiger rebels have been blamed. | More than 20 others were wounded in the blast in a cafe in the town of Ampara, 220km (130 miles) from Colombo. Tamil Tiger rebels have been blamed. |
| Security is tight in the east of the island, a day before the region's first provincial elections in 20 years. | Security is tight in the east of the island, a day before the region's first provincial elections in 20 years. |
| Fighting between troops and Tamil Tigers has worsened this year after the government pulled out of a truce. | Fighting between troops and Tamil Tigers has worsened this year after the government pulled out of a truce. |
| Limited devolution | Limited devolution |
| The director of Ampara national hospital, Dr Lankathilake Jayasinghe, told the BBC's Sinhala Service that 11 people had been killed and 24 injured in the blast. | The director of Ampara national hospital, Dr Lankathilake Jayasinghe, told the BBC's Sinhala Service that 11 people had been killed and 24 injured in the blast. |
| Military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said the 11 people killed were all civilians. | Military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said the 11 people killed were all civilians. |
| He told the BBC that the explosion occurred at a small restaurant called the City Cafe. | He told the BBC that the explosion occurred at a small restaurant called the City Cafe. |
| He said the blast was clearly the work of the rebels, or the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as they are known. | He said the blast was clearly the work of the rebels, or the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as they are known. |
| "Yes definitely, it's the LTTE," he said. "They have done similar explosions in Colombo and its suburbs. This was also done by them." | "Yes definitely, it's the LTTE," he said. "They have done similar explosions in Colombo and its suburbs. This was also done by them." |
| Voters in the east coast towns of Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Amapara go to the polls on Saturday to elect the eastern provincial council. | Voters in the east coast towns of Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Amapara go to the polls on Saturday to elect the eastern provincial council. |
| The elections come after government troops drove the Tamil Tigers from their bases in the east last summer. | The elections come after government troops drove the Tamil Tigers from their bases in the east last summer. |
| The BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo says Saturday's vote will lay the foundation for limited devolution that the government says is the answer to Tamil complaints of domination by Sinhalese-led central governments. | The BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo says Saturday's vote will lay the foundation for limited devolution that the government says is the answer to Tamil complaints of domination by Sinhalese-led central governments. |
| 'Town taken' | |
| Meanwhile, fighting is going on in the north where the rebels have their main stronghold. | |
| The military said a small town and an area of territory were captured on Friday and 31 Tiger fighters were killed as well as three soldiers. The account cannot be independently verified. | |
| About 70,000 people have been killed since the civil war began in 1983. The rebels want an independent state for minority Tamils in the north and east. |