Jan 01, Colombo: In the first attack of the New Year, a claymore mine exploded at Samanthurai in Batticaloa this morning killing two security personnel, the police said.

According to the police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara suspected LTTE cadres have launched a claymore mine attack on a group of police officers of the Veeracholai police on a foot patrol.

A Civil Defence Force personnel and a policeman at Veeracholai Police were killed, spokesman confirmed.

Samanthurai Police are conducting further investigations.