Airstrikes violation of truce, says LTTE

Lanka launched airstrikes in Trincomalee where LTTE has blocked government engineers from examining a disabled water plant.

The Tamil Tigers on Thursday condemned Sri Lankan Air Force bombings of a rebel area the day before as violation of the country's ceasefire and said the attacks wounded two civilians.

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The military launched the airstrikes on Wednesday in a rebel-controlled district of Trincomalee in northeastern Sri Lanka where guerrillas had blocked government engineers from examining a disabled water plant.

"This is a blatant ceasefire violation," S Elilan, a top Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam official told the pro-rebel TamilNet website.

The government said it would continue efforts to send in engineers to reopen the water facility, which serves people in both rebel and government-controlled areas.

The Tigers halted its flow of water after accusing the government of failing to keep a promise to construct a water tower in the area.

Two civilians were wounded and two houses destroyed in the airstrikes, said Elilan. The rebels suffered no casualties.

"Our position is very simple. The LTTE has no right to stop water flow," chief government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said.

The blockade has left more than 15,000 families without water to irrigate rice crops -- the main livelihood of the area's residents.