Category: Politics
Terror threat from South Asia still top US concern
WASHINGTON, May 14, 2008 (AFP) – The United States has poured nearly 40 billion dollars in aid to South Asia since the September 11 attacks but the terror threat from the region remains a top problem, a congressional hearing was told Wednesday. “South Asia is arguably the place from which America faces the greatest terrorist […]
Sri Lanka ministerial aide assassinated amid violence
May 14, 2008 (AFP) – At least 27 Tamil Tiger rebels died during battles with government troops, while separately a top advisor to a senior cabinet minister was shot dead in Sri Lanka’s restive north, the defence ministry said Tuesday.The sporadic clashes took place around the embattled Vavuniya and Mannar district on Monday, the ministry […]
Sri Lanka presses ahead with air and ground attacks against Tamil Tigers: military
May 14, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka pressed ahead with air and ground attacks Wednesday against Tamil Tiger rebels in the north, the defence ministry said, as the prime minster ruled out any ceasefire. Fighter planes gave air support to ground troops advancing toward rebel-held areas in Mannar district and bombed a suspected guerrilla training […]
Sri Lanka govt needs to act quickly to consolidate east: analysts
May 14, 2008 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan government may be celebrating a key election victory in the ethnically-mixed east but it is still a long way from winning over the island’s Tamil minority, analysts and observers say.The polls on Saturday saw voters in the east give President Mahinda Rajapakse’s ruling coalition control over a […]
Sri Lanka Marxist rebels form new party
May 12, 2008 (LBO) – A breakaway faction of Sri Lanka’s Marxist-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP- People’s Liberation Front) said Monday that they had formed a new political party. Lead by controversial lawmaker Wimal Weerawansa, the breakaway group, known as the ‘Wimal faction’, claims the support of at least nine of the 38 members of […]
Sri Lanka opposition challenge govt poll win
May 12, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s opposition said Monday it planned to mount a legal challenge to the government’s weekend win in key local elections in the east of the island.The opposition said President Mahinda Rajapakse’s party and his allies — including Tamil Tiger rebel defectors — used “terror” tactics to bully voters and […]
Votes counted in Sri Lanka amid allegations of foul play
TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka, May 11, 2008 (AFP) – Vote counting was underway in eastern Sri Lanka Sunday after an election marred by Tamil Tiger attacks and allegations of intimidation by allies of the island’s hawkish government. . The elections for a provincial council in the tense eastern coastal area, which was until last year partly […]
Sri Lanka govt claims victory in key provincial polls
TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka, May 11, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government Sunday claimed victory in key provincial elections in the ethnically-mixed east of the island, saying the win is a major boost for its war against the Tamil Tigers.Election officials confirmed the government and its allies were on track to win control over a 35-member […]
Sri Lanka govt wins key polls in boost for war effort
TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka, May 11, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition was Sunday declared the winner of key elections in the east of the island, and hailed its victory as a major boost for the war against Tamil rebels.Election officials confirmed the governing United People’s Freedom Alliance party (UPFA) and its allies had won […]
Sri Lanka Tamil Tigers attack as govt holds key local polls
TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka, May 10, 2008 (AFP) – Tamil Tiger rebels sank a naval cargo ship moored in the northeast of Sri Lanka on Saturday, in an attack coinciding with key provincial elections in the east of the island.The guerrillas said their Sea Tiger commandos managed to infiltrate the tightly-guarded port of Trincomalee in the […]
Sri Lanka Navy supply ship sunk by Tamil Tigers
May 10, 2008 (LBO) – Tamil Tiger guerillas have sunk a Sri Lanka Navy supply ship in the Northeastern Trincomalee port, in the early hours of Saturday, the military said. The defence ministry said an underwater explosion at 2.15 am had damaged the auxiliary vessel A-520 when it was moored at the Ashroff jetty. The […]
Sri Lankan troops capture key rebel town: defence ministry
May 9, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan government forces captured Friday a key guerrilla town in the north of the island killing 15 Tamil rebels, the defence ministry said. Two soldiers also died in the fierce fighting as government troops took Adampan town in Mannar district, the ministry said. There was no immediate comment from […]