Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers said on Thursday an Army special forces unit blew up a rebel-backed member of parliament in their northern stronghold with a roadside bomb, and a party colleague confirmed his death.

K. Sivanesam, an MP with the rebel-backed Tamil National Alliance (TNA), was driving near his home in Mankulam in the Tigers' de facto state in the far north of the island when the blast occurred, killing him and his driver, his party said.

"It was an Army deep penetration unit," rebel military spokesman Rasiah Ilanthiraiyan said by telephone. "His vehicle was precisely targeted."

The military was not immediately available for comment.

Reuters

Güncelleme Tarihi: 06 Mart 2008, 17:45