Mar 30, Colombo: Eight civilians including three children and five soldiers were killed in two separate attacks in northern and eastern Sri Lanka as suspected Tigers intensified their attacks on civilians and soldiers, the military said Friday.

A Sri Lankan Army tractor carrying six Army soldiers was blasted in a claymore mine explosion in Parayanakulam, Vavuniya on Friday afternoon, killing five of the soldiers and injuring the other, the military said.

The Army tractor was carrying meals for the security personnel and moving along the Vavuniya - Mannar main road when it was hit by a powerful remote –controlled claymore mine.

The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) was to be informed of the incident.

In Batticaloa, suspected Tigers indiscriminately shelled Morakottanchchena and Karadiyanaru villages from the un-cleared areas in Thoppigala jungle late Thursday (29) night killing at least eight civilians including a one and half years old child in two separate mortar attacks, the military said. Another 18 civilians including three children were injured.

SLMM and the Red Cross were verbally informed, military officials said.