Death toll rises to 26 in deadly terrorist attack 

[Wednesday, January 16, 2008 - 6.45 GMT] 

Death toll in the deadly LTTE terrorist attack on a 

civilian bus near Okkampitiya, Buttala in the remote Uva 

Province has risen to 26 while 64 others injured in the 

attack are hospitalized. According to hospital sources 

8 of the injured are in a critical condition. The 

Government has flown a special team of medical 

personnel with medical supplies to attend to the injured 

and augment the cadre and supplies at the provincial 

hospitals. 

The explosion which took place at around 7.40 a.m. 

today (16) was followed by gunfire attacking the 

survivors. A large number of civilians including small 

children were in the bus at the time of the explosion. 

The Provincial authorities have closed all schools in the 

province for 3 days as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, another claymore mine attack at 9.55 a.m. 

was launched by the terrorists on an army vehicle 

carrying the injured to the Kataragama hospital at a 

location 2 miles off Buttala on the road to Kataragama.