COLOMBO, Dec. 27, Reuter: Tamil guerrillas on Sunday shattered a fragile 48hour peace in Sri Lanka by killing a policeman and several civilians were seriously wounded in ensuing crossfire, hospital sources and residents said.
Residents of Batticaloa said by telephone Indian troops and police in the town were firing at “anything that moved”.
Hospital officials said 11 people with gunshot wounds were in a serious condition. “We expect many more casualties”.
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrillas ambushed three policemen at the market square, killing one and injuring the others, residents said.
People scattered in all directions and shopkeepers put up the shutters as Indian troops and police sprayed the square with gunfire at the escaping rebels.
A Roman Catholic Church spokesman said windows of a house where priests lived was damaged, as were some shops. Residents on the other side of a lagoon that divides the shopping area were stranded, he said.
“They are hiding inside houses, unable to get on to deserted streets. There is lot of tension here’.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 1, 1988
