Colombo, February 13: More than 180 civilians, including women and school-going children, were killed in bomb blasts in the last six weeks in Sri Lanka, the Red Cross said Wednesday.

"In the first six weeks of 2008, more than 180 civilians were reported killed and almost 270 injured in a series of attacks on civilian buses, railway stations and individuals in Colombo, Dambulla, Kebetigollawa, Madu, Okkampitiya and Weli Oya," said a release from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

"The number of civilians affected by violence throughout the country, either by being directly targeted or as by-standers, has reached appalling levels, " said Toon Vanderhove, head of the ICRC delegation in Colombo.

"Sadly, many of the victims have been children on their way to or from school," Vanderhove pointed out.
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