Sri Lanka soldiers killed in mine blasts

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Sri Lankan authorities are blaming Tamil rebels for a pair of mine explosions that killed at least 13 soldiers.

Six soldiers were killed in an explosion Tuesday near a Hindu temple outside Jaffna on the northern end of Sri Lanka. A blast Sunday claimed seven lives. While Sri Lankan officials blamed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for Tuesday's blast, rebel leaders denied they were responsible.

Tension between the LTTE rebels and the new Sri Lankan government has been growing since President Mahinda Rajapakse took office.

There have been several incidents in the past week that have threatened a cease-fire between the government and rebel forces.