At least four civilians shot dead in Sri Lanka

Police said an investigation was underway as to how the killers got away despite tight security in the area.

Unidentified gunmen shot dead four Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka's northern town of Vavuniya on Friday, police said.

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Three bodies were found in one place while the other was found elsewhere, police said adding an investigation was underway as to how the killers got away despite tight security in the area.

The killings came three days after six people were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the same town.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross expressed fears for the safety of a hospital in the rebel-held Vakarai area in the east of the island after the Defence Ministry accused the guerrillas of firing shells from the compound of the hospital.

The Red Cross has asked both the Tigers and the military not to target the hospital.