2006 Digampathaha bombing
2006 Digampathaha bombing | |
---|---|
Location | Digampathaha, North Central Province, Sri Lanka |
Date | 16 October 2006 |
Target | Sri Lankan Navy bus convoy |
Attack type | Suicide truck bombing |
Weapons | Truck bomb |
Deaths | At least 101-112 (including bomber) |
Injured | At least 150 |
Perpetrators | Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam |
Motive | Part of the Sri Lankan Civil War |
The 2006 Digampathaha (දිගම්පතහ, திகம்பதஹ) truck bombing, also known as Habarana massacre,[1] was a suicide truck bombing carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam against a convoy of 15 military buses on 16 October 2006 at Digampathaha (Incorrectly reported as Digampathana), in between the towns of Dambulla and Habarana, in Sri Lanka. The buses were carrying more than 200 (possibly 340[2]) sailors from Trincomalee who were going on leave.[3]
The bombing killed between 92 and 103 sailors and wounded more than 150 people, including over 100 sailors.[4] The bombing also killed a number of civilians, including eight employees of the Sri Lankan military,[3] and wounded many passers-by and roadside traders.[2] The suicide bombing followed intense fighting in the Jaffna Peninsula that left 133 soldiers[5] and up to 200 LTTE fighters dead (although this number is unofficial, as the LTTE have reported losing only 22 fighters).[6] The attack was followed by government air strikes on LTTE territory, although the military claimed they were in response to an artillery attack and not the suicide bombing.[7]
In January 2009 Sri Lankan authorities arrested a suspect, Balachandran, who reportedly helped construct the bomb used in the attack.[8] The attack had been planned at least three months in advance.[9]
References
- ^ Wijewardene, Ranjith (1 November 2006). "Brandix adopts sophisticated ERP platform". Lanka Page. Retrieved 5 June 2007.
- ^ a b "Sri Lanka's bloodiest suicide bombing kills 103 people". Yahoo! News. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 4 November 2006. [dead link] (Link dead as of 15 January 2007)
- ^ a b "Over 100 dead in Sri Lanka suicide bombing". Yahoo! News India. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 4 November 2006. [dead link]
- ^ Knight, Sam (16 October 2006). "Suicide bombing kills more than 100 Sri Lankan sailors". Times Online. London. Retrieved 4 November 2006.
- ^ "Suicide bombing kills over 100 in Sri Lanka". Yahoo! News. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 4 November 2006. [dead link] (Link dead as of 15 January 2007)
- ^ "Analysis: Sri Lanka military setbacks". BBC. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 4 November 2006.
- ^ "Fighter jets pound suspected rebel camp after suicide bombing kills 95 sailors". USA Today. 17 October 2006. Retrieved 4 November 2006.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 August 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ http://www.lankatimes.com/fullstory.php?id=19739[permanent dead link]
- 2000s murders in Sri Lanka
- Attacks on civilians attributed to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
- Car and truck bombings in Sri Lanka
- Civilian massacres in Sri Lanka
- Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attacks against buses
- Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attacks in Eelam War IV
- Mass murder in 2006
- October 2006 crimes
- October 2006 events in Asia
- Suicide bombings in Sri Lanka
- Suicide car and truck bombings in Asia
- Terrorist incidents in Sri Lanka in 2006