COLOMBO, Jan. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Sri Lankan Army said on Monday that two deadly claymore mines had been recovered from the northern Jaffna peninsula.

    Officials said the two mines each weighing about 10 kg were found at Kodikamam area in Jaffna on the Varani Road.

    An Army patrol doing road clearing operations found the mines apparently aimed at the security forces by detonating remotely, officials said.

    Since December last year the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels have stepped up their attacks against the government troops in the North and East provinces.

    Claymore mine attacks blamed on the Tigers killed over 50 soldiers in over five separate attacks.

    Two sailors were killed in the Kayts island in Jaffna on Saturday by one such claymore mine attack against the troops.

    In addition, unexploded mines have been discovered by the security forces during several occasions as a result of road clearing operations. Meanwhile more murders of people have continued in the chain of violence which has gripped the two troubled provinces, defense officials said.

    The pro-LTTE website, Tamilnet, reported the killings of three women in Jaffna on Sunday night.

    On Monday morning at Nelliady in Jaffna an ex-member of a rival organization of the Tamil Tigers was shot dead by unidentified gunmen, the website said.

    In the eastern town of Akkaraipattu two Tamil youth were shot dead around 12:30 noon local time Monday (0630 GMT) by unidentified gunmen, the police said.

    Increasing violence has endangered the Norwegian backed truce making a return to war a distinct possibility. However the government has reiterated its commitment to pursue peace efforts aimed at ending the long drawn out separatist armed conflict.    Enditem