LTTE aerial bomb military sites in Sri Lanka
27 Apr 2008, 1350 Hrs

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Colombo, Apr.27 (ANI): Tamil Tiger rebels using light aircraft bombed two military targets in northeastern Sri Lanka on Sunday and wounded at least one soldier, security sources said.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) hit two targets in the Weli Oya region, where security forces had launched a fresh ground offensive against the rebels on Saturday.

"They dropped three bombs at the two locations and flew back," a top military source said.

"The damage caused is insignificant, but the attack is symbolic and shows they have coordinates of military installations," he added.

The Czech-built Zlin-143 aircraft managed to withdraw unchallenged despite new anti-aircraft defences set up by the military in the island's northern and eastern regions, the sources said.

There was no immediate word either from the defence ministry or the rebels about the air strike.

The Tigers staged their last air raid in October, when they conducted a commando-style ground attack against the main military airbase in the north-central town of Anuradhapura.

The rebels coordinated the ground attack with an aerial strike against the Anuradhapura airbase, destroying a large number of aircraft at the military facility.

Since then, the military has improved its air defences and inducted more sophisticated radar to detect clandestine flying by the guerrillas, who are known to operate at least three air strips in areas under their control. (ANI)