85 Tamils Slain in Sri Lanka Feud
About 85 Tamil villagers were hacked to death Tuesday in Sri Lanka in an apparent retaliation for the killings of hundreds of Muslims, residents said.
About 100 more Tamils were injured when a gang of people with knives and axes attacked the villages of Chenkalady and Kudurippu in the eastern Batticaloa district, they added.
The residents in Batticaloa said by telephone some houses were also set ablaze. No further details were immediately available.
Residents said they thought that the killings were carried out by Muslims to avenge the massacres of people of their community by suspected Tamil guerrillas in the past few days.
Military sources and Muslim leaders said at least 387 Muslims had been hacked and shot to death in attacks on villages and mosques in the eastern Batticaloa and Amparai districts since the beginning of this month.
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