Bomb attack on Sri Lankan minister's office

Defence officials in Sri Lanka say at least two people, including a soldier, have been killed in a bomb explosion at the office of a Muslim government minister near the town of Kattankudey in the east of the country.

The minister, M.L.M. Hizbullah, was not in his office at the time.

The officials blamed the separatist Tamil Tigers for the attack.

The BBC Colombo correspondent says the attack comes at a time of mounting tension between the Muslim and Tamil communities in the region.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service