Sri Lanka Radicals Launch Series of Attacks; 18 Killed
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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sinhalese radicals shot and killed at least 18 people, including one of the nation’s highest-ranking Buddhist priests, in a series of attacks in southern Sri Lanka, officials said Thursday.
The bloodshed came as Indian and Sri Lankan officials in New Delhi held talks for a sixth day on a timetable for withdrawing Indian troops from Sri Lanka.
The troops were deployed two years ago to enforce a plan to end the Tamil rebellion for autonomy. Radicals of the Sinhalese majority say the government has given too many concessions to the Tamil minority.
On Thursday, five gunmen belonging to the People’s Liberation Front--known by its Sinhalese acronym JVP--stormed a Buddhist temple in Colombo, the capital, and killed one of the nation’s highest-ranking Buddhist priests. The Rev. Kotikawatte Saddhatissa Thera recently endorsed an offer by Sri Lanka President Ranasinghe Premadasa to negotiate with the JVP.
The other killings included nine people slain by Sinhalese gunmen at the home of United National Party legislator P. D. Abeyaratna near the town of Kalutara. The legislator was not at home.
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