Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels detonated a bomb on a crowded bus in northern Sri Lanka this morning killing 18 people and wounding 50.
This blast comes two days ahead of celebrations marking independence day.
President Mahinda Rajapakse condemned the bombing and urged people not to be provoked by what he called the 'savage attack' of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
The parcel bomb ripped through the vehicle parked at a bus station in Dambulla, 150km north of Colombo.
It had stopped off on its way to the Buddhist pilgrimage town of Anuradhapura.
Most of the victims had serious burn injuries.
The defence ministry blamed the bombing on the Tamil Tigers who have been fighting for decades for an independent homeland in the majority Sinhalese island.
Today's attack comes as Sri Lanka steps up security ahead of festivities on Monday to mark the country's 60th anniversary of independence from Britain.
