COLOMBO, May 22: Tamil rebels have for the first time targeted civilians in northern Sri Lanka, the scene of an ongoing major government offensive, a senior army officer said today.

Rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) overnight fired artillery into remote villages around the Welioya camp, 284 km northeast of the capital, killing at least one person, injuring several others and causing widespread damage.

At least 10 such villages dominated by the majority Sinhala community were affected by the artillery attacks which were spread out from last night until early today, the military officer based at Welioya said.

``The rebels fired 45 rounds into the villages,'' the officer said.

Government troops who began advancing on two fronts on May 13 in the northern province have captured two strategic towns and are consolidating their position before advancing. One of the movements was from the Welioya camp in which troops advanced southwest and captured the town of Nedunkeny.

Military officials claimed that the artillery attacks on villages may be an attempt to distract the security forces who might be compelled to provide security to the villagers.

But a Tamil party spokesman said it could also be an act of revenge as the rebels have claimed that several Tamil dominated villages have been hit by shelling.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened in the Sri Lankan capital following Intelligence reports that a 12-member suicide squad of the LTTE had infiltrated the city to assassinate a key government leader, officials said today.

``We have intelligence reports about their presence. A search is on for them,'' said deputy inspector general of police (crimes) TB Dissanayake.

Senior officials said the hit squad were members of the LTTE's suicide squad known as Black Tigers.

The rebels were believed to have unloaded a stock of weapons, explosives and suicide kits near the Negembo coast, about 30 km north of here, to carry out their deadly mission. Newspapers said today that authorities in the capital discussed the threat posed by the black tigers and tightened security of those threatened.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.