A SUICIDE bomber attacked the opening ceremony of a marathon outside Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo yesterday, killing a government minister and 11 other people, authorities said. Dozens were wounded.

Officials blamed the bombing, the second this year resulting in the death of a senior government official, on Tamil Tiger rebels.

Minister of Highways and Road Development Jeyaraj Fernandopulle was opening the race at Weliweriya town. He died in a hospital of injuries sustained in the blast, said government spokesman Lakshman Hulugalla.

Eleven others were killed — including former Olympic marathoner K.A. Karunaratne and national athletic coach Lakshman de Alwis — and more than 90 were wounded.

Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan did not answer calls seeking comment. The Tamil Tigers, listed as a terror group by the United States and European Union, routinely deny responsibility for such attacks.

Fighting in Sri Lanka has increased in recent months since the government officially ended a six-year cease-fire in January. (SD-Agencies)