By DPA
Colombo : Four civilians were shot by Tamil rebels in a remote village in north central Sri Lanka Monday morning, police said.
One woman and three men were working in a field when the rebels stormed the Ahavilachchiya area, 220 km north of the capital, and opened fire at them.
The rebels escaped into the nearby wildlife sanctuary soon after the attack, police said.
The wildlife sanctuary, once a tourist destination, has now been abandoned due to rebel activities in the park and surrounding areas.
In recent months Tamil rebels have extended their activities beyond the northeast in an apparent attempt to distract the attention of the security forces, which have stepped up operations against them in the north.
Last month rebels attacked an army guard post close to Yala National Park in the southeast of the country killing seven soldiers. Later they also killed five civilians in the area.