A woman was killed and 13 people injured when suspected LTTE rebels hurled a hand-grenade and fired at a bus transporting civilians out of Sri Lanka's northern war zone early on Saturday.
The guerrillas attacked the bus at Puliyankulam in the island's north in the wee hours while it was travelling to the government-controlled town of Vavuniya, officials said.
The injured included four elderly women, two boys and two girls, the government's Media Centre for National Security said adding, the incident took place at around 1.30 AM.
The injured were admitted to Vavuniya Hospital, it said.
This is the third instance of the Tamil Tigers targeting civilians in the island's war-ravaged north this week.
On Tuesday, LTTE rebels fired at civilians attempting to cross over to government territory, killing 19 and injuring 75 in Udayarkattukulam area of Mullaittivu, the army had said. Among the dead were two children and five women.
A day earlier, an LTTE female suicide bomber blew herself up in a refugee centre in Mullaitivu, killing 29 people, including 10 civilians and injuring 64 others, 40 of them civilians.
The government accuses the rebels of using civilians as a "human shield" while the LTTE claims the troops have targeted civilians during its offensive against the Tigers.
{{/usCountry}}The government accuses the rebels of using civilians as a "human shield" while the LTTE claims the troops have targeted civilians during its offensive against the Tigers.
{{/usCountry}}With the LTTE fast losing territory under their control in fierce fighting with the troops, thousands of refugees have streamed out of the war zone in the recent days.