( dpa ) - Six civilians were killed and a paramilitary guard was injured in an ambush by suspected Tamil rebels in a remote village in south-eastern Sri Lanka which had been infiltrated by the rebels, military sources said Friday.
The incident took place in Thanamalwila, 290 kilometres south- east of the capital, late Thursday night.
Reports from the area said the death toll could go higher.
The attack took place some 40 kilometres from where rebels set off a claymore mine on a passenger bus on Wednesday, killing 27 passengers and injuring 63 others, and later shot dead six farmers.
Troops have mounted a search operation for rebels who have infiltrated the area.
The Sri Lankan government officially terminated a Norwegian- backed six-year-old cease-fire agreement with the rebels on Wednesday.
Fighting has escalated during the past two years and more than 5,600 have been killed during the period.