New search operation in Colombo aims to avoid further blasts

Major General Laurence Fernando has been appointed as Joint Commander of security operations in Colombo by the Ministry of Defence.

The military and the police initiated a new search operation under the new commander in an aim to avoid further violence in the city, military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe said.

He told BBC Sandehaya that the security forces found claymore bombs and other explosives in and around the capital during the last few days.

“The public has been very supportive and we were in fact tipped off by the public of these explosives,” Brig. Samarasinghe told bbcsinhala.com.

Assuring that no community would be harassed due to the ethnic background, the spokesman urged the public to keep an identity with them always so that any eventuality could be avoided.

Soldiers injured

In a separate incident, seven Sri Lanka Army (SLA) have sustained injuries in Trincomalee district in an attack on a military convoy.

The SLA said seven soldiers were wounded in an attack by the LTTE on an envoy in Selvanagar, near Mutur.

According to the pro-rebel Tamilnet, the soldiers sustained injuries in a claymore mine attack.

The injured were admitted to Polonnaruwa general hospital.

SLA said the LTTE attackers fled away as the troops retaliated.