By SPA

Colombo : At least one civilian was killed and three were injured when a parcel bomb exploded in Sri Lanka's capital Monday as the country's eastern region held its first elections in 14 years, a dpa quoted a military spokesman as saying.

The bomb set up inside a flower bed in the centre of the main road in Wellawatte, six kilometres south of the Colombo city centre, went off opposite a leading boy's school.

"We believe that the terrorist (rebels) set up the bomb targeting civilians," military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

The attack to place as voting commenced in local elections across the eastern part of the country. Elections are being held for the first time in 14 years after the area was brought back under control of the security forces from the rebels a year ago.