Attack type Remote bombing Non-fatal injuries 14 Total number of deaths 17 | Weapons Claymore Mine Start date January 29, 2008 | |
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Suspected perpetrators Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Sri Lanka Army Similar 2008 Fort Railway Station b, 2008 Piliyandala bus bomb, February 2008 Bosaso b, 2008 attack on tourists in Yemen, 2008 Kandahar bombing | ||
The Madhu School bus bombing was the bombing of a school bus carried out on January 29, 2008 in Mannar, Northern province of Sri Lanka. The bombing killed 17, including 11 school children, and injured at least 14 more people.The LTTE accused the Sri Lankan Army for the attack but the Army denied the allegations. This attack was the second attack on a civilian bus in the month of January in Sri Lanka
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Background
On January 2, the government of Sri Lanka officially pulled out of the cease fire signed in 2002. On January 16, 23 people were killed in a bus bombing at Okkampitya, a town in southern Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan police blamed the LTTE for this attack.
Incident
On 29 January 2008 a bus carrying civilians was hit by a claymore mine that resulted in the death of 17 civilians including eleven school children and injuring 14 more people. This incident took place in the town of Mannar about 1 km from the Madhu Church. According to the LTTE the civilian bus was hit by a claymore that was triggered by Sri Lankan Army’s deep penetration unit. It further claimed that the victims were students and teachers returning from a sporting event. The Sri Lankan Army denied any responsibility and claimed that there was no military unit operating in the area at that time.