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S.Lankan Tamil Rebels Continue to Violate Truce for Polio Immunization Program
Sri Lanka's separatist Tamil Tiger rebels continued to violate a temporary truce allowing a polio immunization program for children under an agreement with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), wounding two soldiers, the Defence Ministry said on Sunday.
The ministry said that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels fired at the defenses of government troops in the east of northern Jaffan town on Saturday, wounding two soldiers, out of whom one got succumbed to his injures.
The troops did not react due to the truce in operation for conduct of polio immunization program, it said.
On the same day, the LTTE rebels also attacked farmers who were harvesting in their paddy fields in Polonnaruwa District in the east of the country. One farmer was killed and three others were injured in the terrorist fire.
On Friday, the first day of the two-day truce, the LTTE rebels fired 63 rounds of 60 mm mortar bombs at army defense lines in Muhamali in the northern Jaffna peninsula, wounding one soldier, the ministry said.
Since 1995 the country has implemented national immunization days to eradicate polio. However, as a result of the protracted war between the government and the Tamil rebels in the north and east the program has not been as effective as expected.
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