Colombo - Tamil rebels abducted 16 children from a Catholic orphanage in northern Sri Lanka to be enlisted in their movement as fighters, according to civilians who have escaped, the defence ministry said Monday.

The children were taken away from the Dharmapuram in Kilinochchi, 320 kilometres north of the capital, after holding two Roman Catholic priests at gunpoint Friday, the army said one civilian reported.

It said the Tamil rebels demanded the priest release all children above the age of 12 to be taken away.

Colombo  - A suicide bomber killed at least eight people, including six paramilitary guards, and injured 17 on the outskirts of Colombo Sunday, military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said.

Colombo  - A suicide bomber killed at least five paramilitary guards and injured 10 others on the outskirts of Colombo Sunday, military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said.

The suspected Tamil rebel attacked detonated himself at a paramilitary guard post located in Wattala, 10 kilometres north of the capital.

The incident came hours after the Sri Lanka navy destroyed a Tamil rebel boat and killed at least four rebels off the northern coast, a navy spokesman said.

Putting an end to the uncertainty on the fate of the series, Sri Lanka, on Friday, decided to go ahead with its cricket tour of Pakistan to fill in for a cancelled Indian trip.  

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa discussed the issue with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollgama, who recommended that the tour should advance as scheduled from January 20 to February 25.

The series will feature three Tests, as many ODIs and a Twenty20 match. It may be here recalled that due to Mumbai terror attacks, India called off its tour of Pakistan.

Kuala Lumpur, Dec. 26 : The fate of the proposed Sri Lanka tour to Pakistan will be decided on Saturday, December 27 as the officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Sri Lankan Cricket Board (SLCB) will meet here to take the final decision.