Thursday, July 27 2006 18:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Colombo: Sri Lankan Air Force jets today (July 27, 2006) carried out bombing raids over Tamil Tiger territory for a second straight day, targeting a clandestine airstrip allegedly being built by the rebels.

Military spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe said fire jets pounded an airstrip the Tamil Tiger rebels were building just north of the Trincomalee sea port of the military.

"We have carried out air attacks to bomb the air field of the LTTE," Samarasinghe said.

Kfir jets pounded rebel bases yesterday at Maavilaru and Hirugalaru in Trincomalee where the army said the guerrillas had blocked an irrigation canal.

The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said the air attacks were carried out despite talks through truce monitors to resolve the water issue.

The pro-rebel Tamilnet.Com website said residents blocked the waterway and the Tigers had agreed to persuade them to back down, but the bombing made them change their mind.

"This is a blatant violation of the ceasefire," the Tamilnet quoted a regional Tiger leader S Elilan as saying.

"We have now decided to reconsider our decision of lifting the water blockade," he said.

He said two civilians were wounded in yesterday's bombing but made no comment on today's attacks.