Agence France Presse

Colombo, July 13:

A bomb was thrown at a tsunami relief centre in volatile northeastern Sri Lanka today, injuring at least nine civilians and a soldier, police said, blaming the attack on Tiger rebels.

The bomb was hurled at a security post at the centre in the Muslim town of Muttur, police said.

The nine civilians hurt in the pre-dawn attack were all survivors of December’s tsunami disaster.

Another soldier was wounded today when a second sentry point in the same district was attacked by suspected Tiger gunmen.

Meanwhile, the military today accused the Tamil Tiger rebels of resuming a campaign of violence against security forces in Sri Lanka’s volatile east.

“The LTTE has led at least eight bomb and shooting attacks since yesterday,” said military spokesman Brig. Daya Ratnayake today.

“They are trying to provoke but the soldiers are acting with patience and restraint.” Ratnayake said.

Ratnayake said the alleged rebel attacks in and around Trincomalee were counterproductive to the peace process.