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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Tigers sink ship on polling day | Tigers sink ship on polling day |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Tamil Tiger rebels have sunk a naval cargo ship in eastern Sri Lanka, hours before voting got under way in important local elections. | |
| The navy said a 65-metre (213-ft) ship was hit by an underwater blast caused by a suicide diver, though no other casualties were reported. | |
| Rebels said the ship had been loaded with munitions destined for Sri Lankan troops operating in the north. | Rebels said the ship had been loaded with munitions destined for Sri Lankan troops operating in the north. |
| Saturday's local polls are the first in the region in 20 years. | |
| They follow a government offensive last summer. | |
| Troops drove the Tamil Tigers from their bases in the region, which they had controlled for 13 years. | Troops drove the Tamil Tigers from their bases in the region, which they had controlled for 13 years. |
| Thousands of extra troops and police have been deployed to ensure security for the elections in the east coast towns of Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Ampara. | Thousands of extra troops and police have been deployed to ensure security for the elections in the east coast towns of Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Ampara. |
| On Friday, at least 11 people died in a bomb attack on a cafe in Ampara, which was blamed on the Tigers. There was no immediate comment from the rebels. | On Friday, at least 11 people died in a bomb attack on a cafe in Ampara, which was blamed on the Tigers. There was no immediate comment from the rebels. |
| 'Sea Tiger' attack | 'Sea Tiger' attack |
| A Sri Lankan navy spokesman, Commander DKP Dassanayake, said the cargo vessel Invisible "sank due to an underwater explosion" at around 0215 local time (2045 GMT Friday). | A Sri Lankan navy spokesman, Commander DKP Dassanayake, said the cargo vessel Invisible "sank due to an underwater explosion" at around 0215 local time (2045 GMT Friday). |
| "We suspect the blast was carried out by a suicide diver," he said. | |
| He gave no details of the ship's cargo. | He gave no details of the ship's cargo. |
| A rebel statement quoted by AFP news agency said "Sea Tiger underwater naval commandos" had attacked the ship just before dawn. | A rebel statement quoted by AFP news agency said "Sea Tiger underwater naval commandos" had attacked the ship just before dawn. |
| The army blamed the Tigers for the attack on the cafe in Ampara, in which 36 people were also wounded. | The army blamed the Tigers for the attack on the cafe in Ampara, in which 36 people were also wounded. |
| Fighting is continuing in the north where the rebels have their main stronghold. | Fighting is continuing in the north where the rebels have their main stronghold. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. |