21 civilians killed by LTTE in Lankan village

At least 21 civilians were killed and over 20 others injured when a group of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels opened indiscriminate fire at them in eastern Sri Lanka, the Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

"According to latest reports received, the death toll at the LTTE village massacre on Saturday at Kirimetiya has risen to 21 civilians, while over 20 others including children had sustained serious injuries," it said.

A group of LTTE militants stormed into Kirimetiya village at Rathmalgaha Ella in Iginiyagala on Saturday and opened indiscriminate fire at civilian cultivators, it said.

"The Kirimetiya village is a predominantly Sinhalese village, located along the Bibila-Ampara main road," the ministry said, adding that the injured civilians were evacuated to the general hospital at Ampara while Army and Special Task Force personnel are continuing with cordon and search operations to find the perpetrators.

"LTTE terrorists committed the brutal village massacre within 24 hours after losing two of its stunt aircraft due to precision air defence fire at Colombo and Katunayake on Friday," the ministry said.