Fighting between government forces and Tamil insurgents in Sri Lanka's north and east and a suicide bombing in the capital left dozens of people dead Monday, including youths killed in what the rebels claimed was an air raid on a home for teenagers, officials said.

The clashes along the frontiers dividing government and rebel territory in the north and east, and the blast in Colombo, appeared to dash what little hope was left for a quick end to fighting that has steadily worsened over the past four weeks, undermining an already shaky ceasefire.

A 2002 truce was intended to halt more than two decades of bloodshed between the government, dominated by Sri Lanka's 14 million Sinhalese, and the rebels, who have been fighting since 1983 for an independent homeland for the country's 3.2 million Tamils.

While it remains officially in effect, months of shootings and bombings had already left it in tatters before the latest round of clashes.

In fighting Monday, Sri Lankan air force jets bombed the northeastern Mullaitivu district, deep inside rebel territory.

The pro-rebel TamilNet website, citing officials from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, reported that 61 girls who were studying there were killed and another 60 were injured.

However, Air Force spokesman Group Captain Ajantha Silva said the military had proof that the site was a rebel base.

Hours later in Colombo, a suicide bomber in an auto rickshaw blew himself up as a car carrying Pakistan's high commissioner, Basir Ali Mohmand, passed along a crowded road. At least seven people were killed, including four army commandos guarding the envoy, the government said. Another 10 people were wounded in the bombing less than a kilometer from the residence of President Mahinda Rajapakse.

(China Daily August 15, 2006)