Colombo, Sep 18 (DPA) Eleven Muslim civilians were killed by suspected Tamil rebels in eastern Sri Lanka raising tensions between the two communities in the region, a military official said Monday.
The victims were employed by a contractor to repair an irrigation canal in Panama, Potuvil, 340 km east of the capital. They were abducted by suspected rebels and killed, the official said.
The civilians were hacked to death with swords.
The men had gone missing Sunday and the bodies were found in the early hours of Monday.
Additional security forces were sent into the area to prevent any clashes between Tamils and Muslims while police investigated the incident.
The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) made no comment about the incident, but they were responsible for similar attacks in the past.