Published Date: 11 March 2009
SRI Lanka's Tamil Tigers struck with a suicide bomb yesterday during a Muslim festival in the island's south, killing 14 and wounding 35, including the telecommunications minister.
The blast took place in front of a mosque in Godapitiya in Matara district, about 100 miles south of the capital, Colombo, during a festival for the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.

"Six ministers were there but only one, Mahinda Wijesekara, was injured," said oil resources minister AHM Fowzie.

Of the 35 admitted to hospital, four were seriously injured, added a hospital spokesman.

The government called the attack "another desperate act" by the Tigers.

The Sri Lankan military has cornered the Tigers in about 20 square miles of the north-eastern coast and is confident of defeating them soon. However, the Tigers have always had the capacity to strike far from the war zone using unconventional tactics.