Category: Defense
”: former mediator
OSLO, May 17, 2009 (AFP) – Peace is far from being won in Sri Lanka, despite the government’s claims to have scored a crushing military victory against Tamil Tiger rebels, the former negotiator in the conflict said Sunday. “Peace is long from being won,” said Minister of Environment and International Development Erik Solheim. “The Sri […]
” during hostage rescue
May 17, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka said Sunday there was no “bloodbath” during its “rescue” of tens of thousands of civilians held hostage by Tamil Tiger rebels.“There was no bloodbath as some people feared,” Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe told reporters.“Everybody has come out safely and they are being looked after by the government.” […]
‘s son, three top leaders killed: military
May 18, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Army special forces soldiers have found a body suspected to be of Charles Anthony, the elder son of Tamil Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran Monday morning, the defence ministry said in a statement. The body was found in the Karayamullavaikkal area, on a small coastal strip in the island’s […]
Sri Lanka military says Tamil Tiger leader alive, surrounded
May 18, 2009 (AFP) – The leader of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels is alive but totally surrounded by government troops in a small jungle area, a military spokesman said Monday. Military sources said about 200 Tiger fighters were believed killed on Monday, but the military has not yet released photographs of the bodies.Brigadier Udaya […]
Tamil Tiger leader killed by Sri Lanka troops
May 18, 2009 (AFP) – The leader of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers, Velupillai Prabhakaran, was shot dead Monday while trying to flee advancing troops, defence officials told AFP.Prabhakaran was in a small convoy of a van and ambulance along with several close aides which tried to drive out of the battle zone, but was attacked […]
‘s fate a mystery as rebels routed
May 17, 2009 (AFP) – Scouring a tiny beach and lagoon peninsula in Sri Lanka’s northeast are thousands of government troops, examining the faces of the dead, hunting for hidden bunkers under the jungle floor.They are looking for any sign of the leader of the defeated Tamil Tiger rebels, Velupillai Prabhakaran, who built up what […]
Defeated Tigers will not be allowed to regroup: Sri Lanka
May 17, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s army chief vowed Sunday the Tamil Tigers would not be allowed to regroup and pledged that the rebels, once seen as one of the world’s deadliest guerrilla outfits, would soon be forgotten.The government said a massive offensive against the separatist Tigers was all but complete, with the entire […]
Sri Lankan military says all trapped civilians rescued
May 17, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops have rescued all civilians held by Tamil Tiger rebels, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said on Sunday.“More than 50,000 people have come out of that area in the past three days and with that we have rescued all the civilians held as a human shield by the […]
Sri Lanka troops kill 70 escaping Tigers: army
May 17, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops on Sunday killed at least 70 Tamil Tiger rebels trying to escape across a shallow lagoon using boats, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.The guerrillas tried to break out of the pocket of land where they have been holed up in the northeast of the island, Nanayakkara […]
‘s Tamil Tigers admit defeat
May 17, 2009 (AFP) – The Tamil Tigers have given up their fight against a Sri Lankan government offensive and “have decided to silence our guns,” a statement carried by the pro-rebel Tamilnet website said Sunday.“This battle has reached its bitter end,” said the admission of defeat from the rebels’ chief of international relations, Selvarasa […]
Sri Lanka troops move in to finish off Tamil Tigers: spokesman
May 17, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops were Sunday moving in on the final patch of jungle still held by Tamil Tigers and were set to capture “every inch of land” from the rebels, a military spokesman said.Government forces were pressing on with the blistering offensive despite the Tamil Tigers announcing they would “silence […]
Sri Lankan troops take last coastline held by Tigers: military
May 16, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops on Saturday captured the last patch of coastline held by the Tamil Tigers and the rebels would shortly be left without any territory, a top military source said.Two divisions of soldiers that had been fighting along the coastline from the southern and northern ends of the remaining […]