Category: Defense

September 21, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan police tackling a series of blasts in Colombo began on Sunday taking a census of ethnic minority Tamils who have fled the war-ravaged north and are now living in the city. The defence ministry ordered the census to prevent separatist Tamil Tiger rebels from infiltrating the capital. “Each […]

September 19, 2008 (AFP) – Tamil Tigers were once regarded one of the world’s most ruthlessly efficient rebels, but they risk losing their mini-state as Sri Lankan forces make a determined push after decades of bloodshed. After months of bitter fighting, security forces have reached the outskirts of the Tiger political capital — Kilinochchi — […]

September 18, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military said Thursday it was moving closer to the northern headquarters of the Tamil Tigers, with fierce clashes leaving at least 50 dead.The rebels have been fighting for a separate homeland for minority Tamils in the island’s north and east since 1972. To receive instant alerts from LBO […]

September 17, 2008 (AFP) – International aid workers were Wednesday close to completing an evacuation from Sri Lanka’s north, where government forces are on a major offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels, officials said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The mass pull-out, demanded by the […]

Sept 16, 2008 (LBO) – A bomb placed in a commuter bus in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo exploded after vigilant passengers discovered a suspicious parcel and got off the bus, police said.The bus was passing through the capital’s plush Colombo 7 district, when the bomb was discovered. Passengers had dis-embarked when the bomb went off, […]

September 15, 2008 (AFP) – Fresh fighting broke out across Sri Lanka’s tense north, leaving 20 Tamil Tiger rebels and one soldier dead, the defence ministry said Monday. The ministry said 22 rebels and 14 troops were wounded in Sunday’s fighting in Weli Oya, Kilinochchi and Vavuniya. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) did […]

September 14, 2008 (AFP) – The United Nations said Sunday its aid staff were unable to comply with a Sri Lankan government order to quit the war-torn north of the island because of protests by local civilians. UN agencies say some 160,000 people have been displaced in the past few months in the districts of […]

COLOMBO, September 11, 2008 (AFP) – A bomb exploded on a railway track in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Thursday, the second such blast in as many days, but there were no casualties, police said. The blast caused little damage to the railway line at Sedawatte, a slum area of the city, a police […]

UNITED NATIONS, September 9, 2008 (AFP) – UN leader Ban Ki-moon expressed alarm Tuesday over escalating strife between government troops and rebels in northern Sri Lanka and reminded the parties of their obligations to ensure the safety of civilians. “The secretary general expresses his deep concern over the increased hostilities in northern Sri Lanka, and […]

September 10, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s move to evict relief workers from its embattled north worsens the humanitarian situation for tens of thousands of civilians who rely on aid, Amnesty International said Wednesday. The London-based rights group said the Colombo government lacked the capacity to provide basic essentials and safety for those who have […]

September 10, 2008 (AFP) – A bomb exploded on a railway track just outside Sri Lanka’s capital on Wednesday, police said, adding that there were no casualties. The blast created a small crater, but there was little damage, a police official at the scene said. There were no trains in the area at the time […]

September 8, 2008 (AFP) – At least 10 people were wounded in a minor bomb blast in Sri Lanka’s capital on Monday night, police said adding that it did not appear to be linked to the island’s drawn out ethnic conflict. The explosion inside a car at Colombo’s Gas Works’ Street was being treated as […]