Jaffna rape troops arrested

Jaffna rape troops arrested

COLOMBO (Reuters): Sri Lanka's army said on Thursday two
soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of raping a woman from
the Tamil minority.

The army also retracted allegations the crime had been
committed by Tamil Tiger guerrillas.

The victim, a 42-year-old resident of the Meesalai area in the
northern Jaffna peninsula, was raped last Saturday by "armed men
in military fatigues", according to police reports.

"It appears that two soldiers at a nearby army checkpoint
could have been involved in the incident and they have been
handed over to the police," said military spokesman Brig. Sanath
Karunaratne.

A pro-rebel web site said on Monday the rape had been carried
out by a group of soldiers who beat up the victim's 82-year-old
mother when she tried to prevent the attack.