Tiger's infiltration leaves 12 dead

Tiger's infiltration leaves 12 dead

COLOMBO (AFP): A Tamil Tiger infiltration of Sri Lanka's main northern naval base and the "friendly fire" killing of three home guards were among the incidents causing 12 deaths in continuing political violence, officials said yesterday.

Gunmen of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) attacked two vehicles at the navy facility on the small islet of Karainagar late Sunday, killing four sailors and wounding six others, officials said.

"There was an infiltration at Karainagar so there is a search operation in progress now," a military official said.

In the island's east, three home guards on an unauthorized hunting expedition were mistaken for Tigers and killed by the military on Sunday, defense sources said. Troops claimed they killed two suspected Tiger gunmen in the area.