A three vehicle convoy of the Sri Lanka Navy traveling from Mannar to Thalaimannar carrying after-leave Navy personnel was attacked by the LTTE this afternoon. The bus which was moving first in the convoy was destroyed by a claymore mine and subsequently the convoy came under RPG fire. This incident took place 1.5 Km from Pesalai around 13:30 hrs. As a result of this explosion and RPG fire, 13 Navy personnel were killed and 3 others injured.

The Government in the strongest possible terms condemns this attack carried out by the LTTE. It is clear that the claymore mine explosion and the RPG fire had been planned in a way to cause maximum casualties among the security forces. The LTTE has from the very inception shown scant regard for the provisions of the Ceasefire Agreement and these continued attacks raises serious doubts on the LTTE’s commitment to a political settlement. This is the second serious attack after the Co-Chairs statement of 19 December 2005.

The Prime Minister, together with the Foreign Minister, met this evening with the Ambassadors of the Co-Chair countries. The Prime Minister impressed upon the need for the international community to take specific measures to ensure that the LTTE desist from further escalating the violence in the North and East and return to the negotiating table. The need to ensure the strict compliance with the ceasefire agreement not only in word, but in deed as well was also highlighted. In this regard, it was decided that a delegation of the Co-Chairs will travel to Kilinochchi tomorrow (24 December) to meet with the LTTE.

As the continued provocations are deliberate attempts to create a back-clash elsewhere in the country, the government calls upon the general public to remain calm in the face of such provocations.

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