Residents in Jaffna peninsula were shocked by the deafening explosions heard Monday evening intermittently for nearly an hour from the outskirts of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HSZ) in Palaali, sources in Jaffna said.

An official of a de-mining organization said that the explosion could not be due to the destroying of landmines as it was generally rumoured because SLA has not permitted any de-mining in or near its HSZ in Palaali in Valikaamam. There is no possibility of bringing mines from Naakarkoayil in Vadamaraadchi East and areas beyond them where de-mining permitted, to Palaali for destruction, the officer further said. The explosion had been caused by the destruction of outdated ammunitions by SLA, according to independent sources. Recently, electrical short circuit in an ammunition store in SLA Point Pedro camp had caused a similar explosion scaring the neighbourhood. So far the government has not released any information on the explosions heard in Palaali HSZ. An explosion of this scale heard after a long time since war created shock and fear among peninsula residents.