Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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Sri Lankan Navy Sinks Rebel Boat
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?r=279&c=657878&l=1009&ctl=146989F:A6F02AD83191E1603DDA57124E2F43CC9574F7DCC14957C0 Four people killed
after trawler fires on government boats Sri Lankan military officials
say their navy sank a suspected Tamil Tiger trawler Sunday, killing at
least four people.

Authorities said navy patrol boats off Mannar in northwestern Sri
Lanka ordered the trawler to stop before it fired on the government
boats.

The navy responded with heavy fire, sinking the trawler. Officials say
three navy sailors were wounded.

A military spokesman said the trawler exploded in a huge ball of fire,
leading authorities to suspect it was hauling fuel or munitions.

Tamil Tiger rebels have been fighting since 1983 for a separate
homeland for the Tamil minority in the north and east.

More than 2,000 people have been killed in the area this year, despite
a truce signed in 2002.

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.


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