By DPA
Colombo : An explosion inside an abandoned vehicle in the eastern district of Sri Lanka recaptured by the military two months ago claimed the life of a soldier and injured six others, military officials said Saturday.
The death toll in two days of sporadic clashes in the area increased to 21 with Saturday’s incident.
Security forces were attempting to check an abandoned vehicle left by suspected Tamil rebels who had fled the area earlier in Narakamulla, Batticaloa, 260 km east of the capital, when the explosion went off, the officials said.
In a separate confrontation in Nagarkovil, 380 km northeast of the capital, five rebels were killed while in another incident in the same area two more rebels were killed, officials said.
Three soldiers and five rebels were killed in clashes in Vavuniya, 240 km north of the capital, military officials said.
On Friday, three civilians were killed in a mine explosion and two more in a shooting incident in Eravur, Batticaloa.
During the past 21 months, fighting has escalated in the north and eastern parts of Sri Lanka claiming the lives of more than 5,200 people.