Tamil rebels staged an attack on Colombo’s international airport, reputedly the most secure site in the country, July 24. Several military personnel were killed along with all of the rebels, and numerous planes, both military and civilian, were destroyed. No travelers were hurt in the attack, but the predawn raid closed the airport and caused all present to evacuate the terminal in a mad scramble to return to the city. The incident has shaken confidence in the military’s ability to protect the populace from the rebels, and obviously raised concerns about the security of the country’s only international airport.
