Colombo, Feb 23: At least eighteen people were injured on Saturday when a bomb exploded in a bus in the outskirts of Colombo, according to Sri Lankan military officials.

The blast that is suspected to be the handiwork of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) rebels took place at a bus stop in the southern suburb of Mount Lavinia, the BBC reported.

Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that the security forces had begun evacuating passengers after a woman spotted a suspicious parcel.

According to the Sri Lankan Government, the military has killed over 1,000 rebel fighters since the ceasefire ended, while 83 soldiers and police have lost their lives. (ANI)