Category: Politics
Sri Lanka troops expand defence lines: military
December 27, 2008 (AFP) – Government forces consolidated their positions in northern Sri Lanka on Saturday, a day after heavy fighting with Tamil Tiger rebels, the military said. In January the Sri Lankan government pulled out of a 2002 Norwegian-brokered truce with the rebels, who have been fighting since 1972 for a state for ethnic […]
Sri Lanka steps up air attacks after heavy ground battles: military
December 27, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan war planes carried out attacks against suspected Tamil Tiger strongholds in the island’s north on Saturday as ground forces consolidated newly captured areas, the military said. Fighter jets carried out several sorties over territory held by the Tigers and bombed a suspected rebel meeting place and a boat […]
Sri Lanka says 18 Tamil Tigers killed in fighting
December 25, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military beat back a Tamil Tiger counter-offensive in the island’s north, killing at least 18 guerrillas, the defence ministry said on Thursday. The Tigers on Monday said that they killed more than 100 soldiers and had taken back territory lost to advancing government forces. Both sides are known […]
Sri Lanka takes key Tiger town after Christmas Day battles: military
December 26, 2008 (AFP) – Government forces on Friday wrested control of a strategic town after heavy fighting with Tamil Tiger rebels that left at least 40 people dead, the defence ministry said. There was no immediate comment from the Tigers. The Tigers said Monday they had killed more than 100 soldiers and had taken […]
Christmas celebrations reflect on war, hardship
VATICAN CITY, December 25, 2008 (AFP) – War and economic hardship loomed over Christmas celebrations across the world Thursday, with Pope Benedict XVI denouncing greed and pleading for an end to violence in the Middle East. The pontiff lamented that “the horizon seems once again bleak for Israelis and Palestinians,” and he decried the conflicts […]
Sri Lanka says 20 Tigers killed in fresh fighting
December 24, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan security forces killed at least 20 Tamil Tiger rebels who were defending their political capital of Kilinochchi in the island’s north, the defence ministry said Wednesday.Troops captured the village of Sinna Paranthan, northwest of Kilinochchi, from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the ministry said. “Over 20 […]
Sri Lanka fighting kills another 66: military
December 22, 2008 (AFP) – At least 56 Tamil Tiger rebels and 10 government soldiers were killed in fresh fighting in northern Sri Lanka on Monday, the army said.About 40 soldiers and 90 rebels were wounded in the battles outside Kilinochchi, the besieged political capital of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the military […]
Sri Lanka navy destroys rebel arms ship: military
December 20, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s navy on Saturday destroyed a Tamil Tiger vessel carrying arms and other supplies off the island’s northeastern coast, the defence ministry said.Navy patrol craft “completely destroyed” the vessel of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) off the coast of Mullaittivu in a pre-dawn assault, the ministry said […]
Sri Lanka steps up air attacks against Tigers
December 19, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s air force Friday stepped up strikes on Tamil Tiger positions in the island’s north as ground battles subsided due to heavy rains, military officials said.Aircraft carried out half a dozen raids around Kilinochchi, the political capital of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an air force official […]
Sri Lanka govt says enough fuel stocks available
Dec 19, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has enough stocks and it is continuing to supply fuel stations, a minister said, while a court directive to cut prices remains to be implemented. Information minister Anura Yapa said the CPC is sending 160 fuel bowsers to fuel stations island-wide. This should help […]
Sri Lanka says Tiger defences captured
December 18, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops have captured Tamil Tiger defences near the rebels’ political headquarters after heavy fighting, the government said Thursday. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 Soldiers were conducting “counter-terrorist operations” along the northern and northwestern defences of Kilinochchi, the […]
Sri Lanka troops, Tigers trade fire after heavy fighting
December 17, 2008 (AFP) – There was sporadic fighting in northern Sri Lanka Wednesday, a day after troops and Tamil Tigers fought intense battles around the rebels’ stronghold that left hundreds dead and wounded.The defence ministry said security forces recovered five bodies of Tiger guerrillas Tuesday evening after fighting around the rebels’ political capital of […]