Both the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels on Monday expressed hopes for permanent peace in the island in the New Year as more violence reported from the northeast battle theater.

A soldier was killed and four others including a military officer were injured when the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE) triggered a claymore mine targeting an Army vehicle in the northern Jaffna peninsula.

The explosion happened at 8:45 a.m. local time (0315 GMT) at Navaladi in Jaffna.

In the eastern district of Ampara, a Tamil couple, reported to be rebel supporters, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at around 8:30 a.m. local time Monday (0300 GMT).

On Sunday night at 8:30 p.m local time (1500 GMT), three Tamil youth were gunned down at Valaichchenai in the eastern Batticaloa district, the police said.

The violence came as both the government and the LTTE expressed hope for peace in their new year messages.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse said that "We hope this New Year will bring the long awaited genuine and sustainable peace to our land, bring about a new era of trust and understanding among all our people, and enable us to move forward together to solve our social and political problems."

The LTTE in their message said "Tamil people hope that the world will view the year 2006 for what it is and in the new year stand with the Tamils in their sincere effort to seek a permanent peace through a just political solution."

The rebels blamed the government for non-implementation of the February 2002 ceasefire agreement and for forcing a war on the Tamil minority.

The violence over the last year has accounted for over 3,500 deaths, seriously jeopardizing the Norwegian backed process of negotiations to end the separatist armed conflict.

Source: Xinhua