COLOMBO, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels bombed a civilian bus in north-east Sri Lanka on Monday, killing at least 12 people, the military said.

The blast occurred just hours after the armed forces held a defiant show of military prowess to mark independence day in the capital.

"It was a Tamil Tiger claymore mine targeting a civilian bus in Weli-oya. Twelve were killed and 17 admitted to hospital," a military spokesman said. Weli-oya is in the north-eastern district of Polonnaruwa, about 200 km (120 miles) from the capital Colombo. (With reporting by Ranga Sirilal; Editing by David Fogarty)

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