Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels attack army patrol, wound two soldiers

Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels detonated a land mine and opened fire on an army foot patrol Monday in eastern Sri Lanka, wounding at least two soldiers, the Defense Ministry said.

The attack on the 12-member army contingent occurred in the town of Vantharumoolai, 17 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Batticaloa, eastern Sri Lanka's main town. One of the wounded soldiers was in serious condition, the Defense Ministry's Media Unit said.

The soldiers returned fire but there were no reports of rebel casualties. Tamil Tiger representatives couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, the military said Monday that about 10 rebels stormed a state-run hospital in northern Sri Lanka, killing a police guard and rescuing a comrade who was taken there after swallowing cyanide upon being arrested.

The rebels entered the hospital Sunday in the government-held town of Vavuniya, shooting an armed policeman and ordering four unarmed officers to leave, the Media Unit said.

They then took away the woman, who apparently survived after swallowing cyanide when she was arrested on suspicion of being a member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Vavuniya town borders territory held by the rebels.