Category: Politics
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 military captures rebel-held town: govt
October 17, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops captured a rebel-held town in the island’s north following heavy fighting that killed a “large” group of guerrillas, the defence ministry said Friday. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 Security forces took the town of Maniyakkulam, 25 […]
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 […]
Sri Lanka steps up air strikes on rebels, food convoy blocked
October 16, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military on Thursday stepped up attacks against suspected Tamil Tiger positions in the island’s north and accused the rebels of blocking a UN-escorted food convoy.The UN’s World Food Programme was escorting a convoy of trucks taking essentials for hundreds of thousands of people in rebel-held areas on Thursday […]
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CHENNAI, October 15, 2008 (AFP) – A group of MPs from southern India have threatened to quit unless the government intervenes to halt “atrocities” against fellow Tamils in Sri Lanka. The 38 deputies from Tamil Nadu are allies of India’s ruling Congress party and their resignations could threaten the stability of the national government. “If […]
Sri Lanka fighting kills 43
October 15, 2008 (AFP) – Heavy fighting broke out across Sri Lanka’s northern area of Kilinochchi, leaving 37 Tamil Tiger rebels and six soldiers dead, the defence ministry said Wednesday.It said 34 rebels and 25 soldiers were also wounded in the fierce fighting that took place on several fronts on Tuesday. The Liberation Tigers of […]
Dozens dead in latest Sri Lanka fighting
COLOMBO, October 14, 2008 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan army said Tuesday it has killed 38 Tamil Tiger rebels involved in a fierce counter-attack in the island’s war-torn north. The defence ministry said its troops fought pitched battles and beat back rebel assaults along several fronts in the north on Monday. It said three government […]