Category: Politics
Sri Lanka troops advance into Tiger territory: military
October 25, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka troops were locked in heavy combat with Tamil Tiger guerrillas in the island’s north where soldiers made several advances into rebel-held territory, the defence ministry said Saturday.Two separate confrontations were reported southwest of the Tamil Tiger political capital of Kilinochchi on Friday and sporadic fighting continued afterward, the […]
Sri Lanka says troops push into Tiger territory
October 24, 2008 (AFP) – Security forces pushed deeper into territory held by Tamil Tiger rebels in northern Sri Lanka and captured several strongholds of the guerrillas, the defence ministry said Friday. Government forces are engaged in a major offensive to capture the town of Kilinochchi which has served as the political headquarters of the […]
Sri Lanka battle rages despite heavy rains: military
October 23, 2008 (AFP) – Government forces captured several bunkers from Tamil Tiger rebels as heavy fighting raged despite torrential monsoon rains in northern Sri Lanka, the defence ministry said Thursday. Security forces battling to capture the rebels’ political capital of Kilinochchi overcame resistance from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) near the village […]
Sri Lanka media group condemns threats against human rights defenders
Oct 23, 2008 (LBO) – A Sri Lanka media rights group has condemned more deaths threats against human rights activists and lawyers and demanded a police investigation. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The Free Media Movement (FMM) said in a statement the government should […]
” over Sri Lanka conflict: minister
NEW DELHI, October 22, 2008 (AFP) – India voiced concern Wednesday over the conflict in Sri Lanka as Tamil MPs in parliament clashed over charges of “genocidal attacks” on the Tamil minority in the troubled island nation. Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee told parliament that New Delhi had conveyed its worries to Colombo over the safety […]
Sri Lanka says battle against Tigers delayed due to civilians
October 21, 2008 (AFP) – A massive Sri Lankan government offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels is taking longer than expected because of concern for civilians trapped in the battle zone, the country’s president said Tuesday.Mahinda Rajapakse told the state-run Daily News newspaper that his security forces were “fighting under severe constraints, to cause no harm […]
Sri Lanka Tigers blunt military drive to capture powerbase
October 20, 2008 (AFP) – Dogged resistance by Tamil Tiger guerrillas appears to have held up a Sri Lankan military offensive in the north aimed at smashing the rebels’ de facto state, analysts and military sources say. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘act (space) lbo’ and send to 678 […]
Sri Lanka says 44 combatants killed in latest fighting
October 20, 2008 (AFP) – At least 33 Sri Lankan government soldiers and 11 Tamil Tiger rebels have been killed in the latest heavy fighting in the north of the island, the defence ministry said Monday. Government forces also suffered at least 48 soldiers wounded and another three soldiers missing in the latest battles with […]
Sri Lanka military says smashing major Tiger defences
October 19, 2008 (AFP) – Troops and Tamil Tiger rebels were locked in intense fighting in northern Sri Lanka Sunday after government forces smashed through the “last major defences” of the guerrillas, the military said. The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launched “poisonous gas attacks” to blunt the military offensive aimed at capturing […]
Indian PM concerned over civilians caught in Sri Lanka conflict
NEW DELHI, October 18, 2008 (AFP) – Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday told Sri Lanka he was deeply concerned about the “deteriorating humanitarian situation” in the war-torn island and urged it to protect Tamil civilians caught in the conflict.Rajapakse assured Singh “all necessary measures” were being taken to keep civilians from harm’s way in […]
Sri Lanka seeks to avoid spat with India over military drive
October 17, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government said Friday it would send a delegation to India to defuse mounting tensions over the escalating war against Tamil Tiger rebels.Sri Lanka’s minority Tamils share close cultural and religious links with the 55 million Tamils in the nearby South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Colombo’s military drive […]
Sri Lanka destroys food aid withheld from tsunami victims
October 17, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka said Friday it would destroy a consignment of more than five tonnes of rotting rice and lentils meant for victims of the December 2004 Asian tsunami. The state auditor general in September 2005 noted out of 1.16 billion dollars committed to assist Sri Lankan victims, only 13.5 percent […]