Category: Defense

January 17, 2009 (AFP) – Some 170 people have fled rebel-controlled areas in northern Sri Lanka as fresh fighting erupted across several fronts, the military said Saturday. A massive assault by Sri Lankan troops has left the Tigers cornered in their military stronghold in the northeastern coastal district of Mullaittivu. Sri Lanka has poured a […]

January 16, 2009 (AFP) – Intense fighting in northern Sri Lanka has forced tens of thousands of homeless civilians to flee areas controlled by the encircled Tamil Tiger rebels, the Red Cross said Thursday.The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported “massive displacement” of civilians — many of them having already been forced to […]

January 15, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops have captured another air strip used by Tamil Tiger guerrillas to launch airborne attacks with light planes, the defence ministry said Thursday.The makeshift jungle runway is the fifth of its type to be overrun by government soldiers who are rapidly advancing on areas in the north once […]

January 13, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops have captured more territory from Tamil Tigers in fierce battles around the rebels’ last stronghold in the northeast of the island, the defence ministry said Tuesday.The Tigers said a shell had also hit a hospital building and two people there sustained minor injuries. Claims by both sides […]

January 14, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops have established total control over the northern peninsula of Jaffna Wednesday after flushing out the last remaining pockets of rebel resistance, defence officials said. “The Tigers have not specified a place where the Red Cross can hand over the bodies to them,” a hospital official said. “Because […]

January 13, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops have captured more territory from Tamil Tigers in fierce fighting around the rebels’ last stronghold in the northeast of the island, the defence ministry said Tuesday. Heavy fighting was reported around guerrilla-controlled Mullaittivu district on Monday, with troops seizing a rebel administration base, a training camp and […]

January 12, 2009 (AFP) – Helicopter gunships and war planes attacked suspected Tamil Tiger strong points in northern Sri Lanka on Monday while at least 19 rebels were killed in ground battles, the defence ministry said.Aircraft hit two positions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at Iranamadu, just south of their political capital […]

January 11, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military launched air attacks against the last remaining jungle hideouts of Tamil Tiger rebels after driving them out of their main strongholds, officials said on Sunday.“The Sri Lankan army has so far captured four airstrips of the LTTE terrorists during the ongoing counter terrorist operations,” the ministry said. […]

January 10, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan security forces were ready to deal a “decisive blow” to the remaining Tamil Tiger positions following the capture of the highly strategic Elephant Pass, the defence ministry said on Saturday. After four days of fierce fighting, government forces on Friday established full control over Elephant Pass, also known […]

January 9, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops fighting Tamil rebels on Friday took full control of the highly strategic Elephant Pass, a causeway linking the Jaffna peninsula with the northern mainland, an official said. The causeway fell to government troops advancing northwards from Kilinochchi, the political headquarters of the Tamil Tigers captured by the […]

Jan 09, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s military has gained full control of a strategic highway linking the northern Jaffna peninsular with the south of the country after 23 years, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in a nation-wide television address. Point Pedro is the northernmost point of the island, and Dondra Head the southernmost point. Education […]

January 8, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops captured more territory from Tamil Tiger rebels in the northern Jaffna peninsula Thursday, a day after the government reimposed a formal ban on the guerrillas, officials said.Troops moved their front lines further south to Pallai, a key Tiger position on the peninsula after heavy fighting, military officials […]