COLOMBO, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The chief of the Sri Lanka Army was critically injured in a huge explosion in the capital Colombo on Tuesday afternoon, military officials said.

    Army Commander Sarath Fonseka was traveling in his convoy to return home for lunch when a blast hit his motorcade at around 1:45 p.m. local time (0815 GMT), officials added.

    He was rushed to the military hospital located within the Sri Lanka Army headquarters in the city.

    Local media reported that at least seven Army men were killed in the explosion, which was believed to have been carried out by the Tamil Tiger rebels.

    Fonseka was appointed Sri Lanka's Army Commander in December last year.

    He was in the thick of military operations against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels when the conflict escalated in the mid 1980s.

    Fonseka's assuming of office in December was greeted with stepping up of violence in the Northern and Eastern provinces where they have waged a bloody armed struggle. Enditem