'5 students shot dead by Lankan troops'

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said the victims together with family members were relaxing at a seafront park on Monday when they were initially attacked with a grenade.

Within minutes, troops rushed to the scene and opened fire, a rebel statement said.

"As five of the students were being shot and killed, four other students tried to escape by running," it said.

"As they ran, the Sri Lankan military's special forces fired at them and the escaping students incurred injuries on their arms and legs."