"The Secretary General strongly condemns the indiscriminate attacks in the southeast of Sri Lanka today which left dozens of dead and injured, including children," his spokeswoman Michele Montas said in a statement.
Reiterating his belief that the only way to stop further violence in Sri Lanka was through dialogue, Ban urged the parties concerned "to undertake genuine efforts to achieve a peaceful negotiated solution.
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At least 24 civilians were killed and scores wounded in Wednesday"s suspected Tamil Tiger bomb attack on a crowded bus in southern Sri Lanka coinciding with the end of the island's ceasefire.
The Sri Lankan defense ministry said the bus packed with schoolchildren was hit by a powerful Claymore-type mine -- a bomb packed with explosives and ball-bearings.
With the Indian Ocean island sliding back into all-out war, Scandinavian truce monitors packed their bags and made a renewed appeal for the government and the Tamil Tigers to return to talks -- arguing that neither can wi