COLOMBO, April 15 (Xinhua) -- At least six soldiers were killed and 12 others were injured Saturday afternoon in northern Sri Lanka when a suspected Tamil Tiger claymore mine exploded, defense officials said.

    A bus carrying troops on leave was caught in a mine explosion at Mundimuruppu, Vavuniya at around 12:45 p.m. (0715 GMT), said the defense sources, adding that at least six soldiers died on the spot.

    The explosion occurred after the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels had canceled a planned visit by their east based cadres to the north.

    Palitha Kohona, the director general of the Secretariat for Co-ordination of the Peace Process (SCOPP) told reporters "there is a serious doubt if the LTTE will go to Geneva," referring to the cancellation of the Tiger sea movement.

    The military had earlier discovered two very powerful mines by the military road patrol at Satrukondan in the eastern Batticaloa district at 9:00 a.m. local time (0330 GMT) Saturday.

    Another claymore was in the northern Jaffna district at Omanthai when a suspected member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was arrested Friday night.

    Claymore mine blasts which the Tiger rebels have resorted to since April 7 have put question marks on the next round of Geneva talks between the rebels and the government.

    The two mine discoveries came after the announcement by the Norwegian peace facilitators that talks originally scheduled in Geneva for April 19 to April 21 were postponed by five days and will take place on April 24-25.

    The LTTE says they have serious security concerns as paramilitary groups supported by the government are targeting them.

    The government while denying accusations blames the Tigers for murdering troops in violation of agreements reached in Geneva talks held in February. Enditem