Police found the bullet-riddled bodies in the village of Thanamalvila, about 260 kilometers (162 miles) southeast of Colombo, said a defense ministry official, adding the three other people had been wounded. The official, who blamed Tamil rebels for the killings, spoke on condition of anonymity as he is not authorized to speak to the media.

In the same region on Wednesday, suspected Tamil rebels bombed a civilian bus, gunned down the fleeing passengers and attacked farmers as they retreated into the bush, killing 32 people.Discuss this story Published: Thu Jan 17 23:21:00 EST 2008

Nominations for candidates in nine local authorities in Batticaloa district will be sent to the Election Commission from today, W.P. Sumanasiri, deputy elections commissioner, said in a telephone interview from the capital, Colombo. The date for voting has yet to be set.

Tamil political parties have denounced the process as premature. ``People are not fully settled,'' said V. Anandasangaree, president of the Tamil United Liberation Front. LTTE fighters ``are still engaged in hit and run attacks.''

President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government is seeking $1.8 billion in aid to meet its pledge to rebuild the Eastern Province and encourage investment and tourism in a region that has a 462-kilometer (287-mile) coastline of white sands. The LTTE's defeat left the group with bases only in the north to continue its fight for a separate homeland in Sri Lanka. More... Discuss this story Published: Thu Jan 17 21:24:06 EST 2008