2006 Digampathana bombing
Encyclopedia
The 2006 Digampathana truck bombing, also known as Habarana massacre, was a suicide truck bombing
carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
against a convoy of 15 military buses on 16 October 2006 at Digampathana, near the towns of Dambulla
and Habarana
, in Sri Lanka
. The buses were carrying more than 200 (possibly 340) sailors from Trincomalee
who were going on leave
.
The bombing killed between 92 and 103 sailors and wounded more than 150 people, including over 100 sailors.
The bombing also killed a number of civilians, including eight employees of the Sri Lankan military, and wounded many passers-by and roadside traders. The suicide bombing was the deadliest in Sri Lanka since the bombing
of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka
on 31 January 1996 (which killed 90 and injured 1,400) and followed intense fighting in the Jaffna Peninsula
that left 133 soldiers
and up to 200 LTTE fighters dead (although this number is unofficial, as the LTTE have reported losing only 22 fighters).
The attack was followed by government air strikes on LTTE territory, although the military claimed they were in response to an artillery attack and not the suicide bombing.
In jan 2009 Sri Lankan authorities arrested a suspect, Balachandran, who reportedly helped construct the bomb used in the attack. The attack had been planned at least three months in advance.
Suicide attack
A suicide attack is a type of attack in which the attacker expects or intends to die in the process.- Historical :...
carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
against a convoy of 15 military buses on 16 October 2006 at Digampathana, near the towns of Dambulla
Dambulla
The city of Dambulla is situated in the Matale District in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, situated 148 km north-east of Colombo and 72 km north of Kandy....
and Habarana
Habarana
Habarana is a small city in the Anuradhapura District of Sri Lanka. The city is famed for its chain of high class tourist resorts.Habarana is a popular tourist destination for safari lovers as it is the starting point for safaris in the nearby Habarana jungle and the Minneriya sanctuary which is...
, in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. The buses were carrying more than 200 (possibly 340) sailors from Trincomalee
Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
who were going on leave
Leave (military)
In military, leave is a permission to be away from one's unit, either for a specified or unspecified period of time.The term AWOL, standing for absent without leave, is a term for desertion used in armed forces of many English speaking countries....
.
The bombing killed between 92 and 103 sailors and wounded more than 150 people, including over 100 sailors.
The bombing also killed a number of civilians, including eight employees of the Sri Lankan military, and wounded many passers-by and roadside traders. The suicide bombing was the deadliest in Sri Lanka since the bombing
Central Bank Bombing
The Central Bank bombing was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks carried out by the LTTE during the Separatist civil war in Sri Lanka between the government and the Tamil Tigers.The attack took place on January 31, 1996, Sri Lankan city of Colombo...
of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka
Central Bank of Sri Lanka
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka is the monetary authority of Sri Lanka. It was established in 1950, two years after independence. The founder governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka was John Exter, while the minister of finance at the time was J.R...
on 31 January 1996 (which killed 90 and injured 1,400) and followed intense fighting in the Jaffna Peninsula
Jaffna Peninsula
The Jaffna Peninsula is an area in Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is home to the capital city of the province, Jaffna and comprises much of the former land mass of the ancient Tamil kingdoms of the Nagas and the medieval Jaffna kingdom. The peninsula is mostly surrounded by water, connected to...
that left 133 soldiers
and up to 200 LTTE fighters dead (although this number is unofficial, as the LTTE have reported losing only 22 fighters).
The attack was followed by government air strikes on LTTE territory, although the military claimed they were in response to an artillery attack and not the suicide bombing.
In jan 2009 Sri Lankan authorities arrested a suspect, Balachandran, who reportedly helped construct the bomb used in the attack. The attack had been planned at least three months in advance.
See also
- List of massacres in Sri Lanka
- List of attacks attributed to the LTTE
- List of attacks attributed to Sri Lankan government forces