Sri Lanka blast kills school girl

A 12-year-old school girl has died following an explosion in a van in central Sri Lanka which also wounded 12 other people, the army says.

A private dispute was suspected to be behind the blast, military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said.

The attack took place near the town of Kurunegala. The bomb was set up to explode when the engine was started.

It is the first major blast in the country since government troops defeated Tamil Tiger rebels in May.

The Tigers had been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland in the north and east of the country for more than 25 years.

Police said they were investigating the blast.