Category: Defense

December 14, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military carried out an intense aerial bombardment as ground troops were poised to overrun the Tamil Tiger rebels’ political headquarters, the defence ministry said Sunday. Air force planes carried out nine bombing sorties against positions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the district of Kilinochchi […]

December 12, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military has captured another key town from Tamil Tiger guerrillas in the north following heavy fighting that left scores dead and wounded on both sides, officials said Friday.Security forces took control of Terumarikandi, about eight kilometres (five miles) south of Kilinochchi, the political capital of the Liberation Tigers […]

December 10, 2008 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan government has overwhelming public support for its war against the Tamil Tigers, and most people believe the rebels will soon be defeated, an opinion poll published Wednesday shows. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The privately run […]

December 8, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan government troops were Monday poised to finally capture the political headquarters of the rebel Tamil Tigers after months of fierce fighting, officials said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 Security forces were said to be within “kissing distance” […]

December 6, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s airforce staged a series of bombing raids against suspected Tamil Tiger targets as ground troops fought fierce battles on several fronts, the defence ministry said on Saturday.The battle zone is inaccessible to journalists and aid workers, meaning claims and counter-claims are impossible to verify independently. Security forces, waging […]

December 5, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops leading a heavy offensive against Tamil separatists have secured parts of a key highway running through rebel-held territory, the defence ministry said on Friday. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 Security forces cleared a stretch of 21 […]

December 4, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops on Thursday captured a key Tamil Tiger naval base as part of an offensive to dismantle the rebels’ northern fiefdom, the defence ministry said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 Security forces leading a major offensive to […]

December 1, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan government forces on Monday wrested control over another town from Tamil Tiger rebels in their offensive to capture the political capital of the guerrillas, the defence ministry said.The guerrillas, who began their struggle for a separate Tamil homeland in 1972, are facing the Sri Lankan army’s biggest ever […]

November 30, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan security forces have resumed their offensive to capture the political capital of Tamil Tiger rebels after heavy monsoon rains began subsiding, the defence ministry said Sunday.“The air sorties were made in support of the advancing 57th division infantry battalions,” the ministry said. Flooding had stalled the military push […]

November 28, 2008 (AFP) – A pledge by Sri Lanka’s Tamil rebel leader to fight on despite a military onslaught raised fears Friday of a return to a hit-and-run guerrilla war as his mini-state faced potential collapse. Separatist chief Velupillai Prabhakaran vowed Thursday the rebels would “continue with our struggle until the alien Sinhala occupation […]

Nov 27, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran has sought the sympathy of Tamils in south India in an apparent effort to get a ceasefire with Indian intervention and ward off an army onslaught on his stronghold. In his annual ‘Heroes’ Day’ speech to commemorate rebel war dead, Prabhakaran acknowledged his […]

November 25, 2008 (AFP) – The reclusive leader of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers is to deliver his annual policy address this week from a besieged jungle hideout that could soon be totally overrun by government troops.With his northern fiefdom shrinking fast in the face of a massive onslaught, Velupillai Prabhakaran is expected to use Thursday’s […]