Colombo, (Sri Lanka): Suspected LTTE militants have exploded a Claymore anti-personnel mine in northern Sri Lanka, killing four soldiers, wounding 12 and threatening peace talks.
Saturday's attacks near the village of Vavuniya followed an announcement by rebel leaders that they were pulling out of talks with the government, claiming it broke a promise it made in February to disband paramilitary groups.
The rebels accuse paramilitaries of acting with Sri Lanka security forces to carry out attacks on rebel members and supporters.
There was no immediate response from rebels to Saturday's attack.
Peace talks, already delayed once, were to be held later this month in Geneva, Switzerland. Although the rebels backed out of the talks, they contend they are still committed to the peace process.
The Tigers began fighting in 1983 to create a separate state for Sri Lanka's 3.2 million Tamils, alleging discrimination by the country's 14 million Sinhalese. More than 65,000 people on both sides have been killed.
Norway brokered a cease-fire agreement in November 2002 between the rebels and the government. The pact has been threatened by the surge in violence this week.
On Tuesday, rebels exploded a Claymore mine near the northeast port city of Trincomalee, killing 12 sailors in the Sri Lanka navy and wounding eight others.
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