Travel advice for Sri Lanka following bomb attacks

A bomb exploding on a bus in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo has killed at least 21 people and caused the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to update its travel advice.

Today's explosion in the suburb of Katubedda also injured 50 people and a further explosion has also been reported on another bus on the Wellawata to Kandy road is reported to have killed two people.

These bombings come only two days after another bomb on a crowded commuter train near Dehiwela (a suburb of Colombo).

The FCO particularly advises against all travel to northern and eastern Sri Lanka and says visitors should avoid military, government and paramilitary locations.

But civilians have been specifically targeted in recent attacks, including on public transport, the FCO says.

More than 100 civilians have been killed in attacks this year and the FCO warns there is an "increasing risk" of foreigners being caught up in an incident.

Tamil Tiger insurgents were behind today's attack, the Associated Press news agency quotes military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nananyakkara as saying.