The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Colombo

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels today staged another air strike, the second in two weeks, and carried out an artillery attack in the island's north, local residents and officials said.

Residents in Vavuniya, 256 kilometres (160 miles) north of the capital Colombo, said they saw anti-aircraft fire illuminating the night sky while huge blasts were also heard in the de facto frontier town.

"We heard the noise of a light aircraft," a resident said by telephone. "Anti-aircraft guns of the military fired for about 20 to 30 minutes."

Police said one constable was killed and eight more wounded in the rebel attacks, while three civilians were also injured.

The defence ministry said the authorities tracked two aircraft of the Tamil Tigers and military jets managed to "intercept the terror aircraft and destroyed one of them."

Sri Lanka's air force said they destroyed the rebel plane as it returned to a clandestine base in the northern district of Mullaittivu.

There was no immediate comment from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) about the military claims, but the pro-rebel Puthinam.com website said the military carried out retaliatory air strikes inside rebel-held areas.