27 killed in LTTE assault

COLOMBO: Tamil rebels stepped up their attacks on the security forces in the eastern region by killing 25 soldiers and two policemen on Wednesday in two simultaneous attacks in the Trincomalee district. Over 100 Tamil Tiger guerrillas, many of them believed to be women, armed with mortars and rocket propelled grenades ambushed the 25 soldiers of a route clearing party near Pulmoddai, north of Trincomalee. Army sources here said so far 22 bodies have been recovered by the search parties.

Boat capsize

SILIGURI: Twelve persons were feared drowned and two seriously injured when a country boat, ferrying forty passengers, capsized in the Teesta at Mekhliganj in Coochbehar district on Tuesday, according to sub-divisional officer, Mekhliganj. He said, 26 persons swam ashore. Two bodies were recovered on Wednesday morning.

Pol Pot surrenders

PHNOM PENH: Pol Pot, the notorious leader of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge guerrilla group, has turned himself in to his former comrades, Khmer Rouge Radio reported today. The radio, under a rival rebel faction which has broken with the leader of the 1975-79 regime, said he had surrendered.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.