COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- A Tamil Tiger rebel camp was targeted by the Sri Lankan military Saturday, resulting in 51 deaths, as violence in the Asian country intensified.
The Defense Ministry said Saturday's assault in the northeastern portion of the country included both aerial and ground military forces and left 42 Tamil Tigers dead, the Colombo Page Web site reported.
The death toll brought the total number of rebels killed since Friday to 51, Colombo Page said.
While government-led forces targeted Tamil Tiger strongholds, the rebel group was suspected of bombing a bus Saturday outside Colombo, leaving 18 people injured, the Sri Lankan newspaper reported.
Sources said if passengers had not noticed a suspicious parcel, prompting an immediate evacuation, Saturday's bombing undoubtedly would have resulted in fatalities.
