10-19-2006, 04:26 AM
Lanka hits back at LTTE after suicide attack
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->COLOMBO: Sri Lankan jets pounded Tamil Tiger areas in the wake of the rebels' deadliest-ever suicide bombing, officials said on Tuesday, amid heightened international moves to keep next week's scheduled peace talks on track.
The defence ministry said its Israeli-made Kfir war planes hit targets in the north-east of the island, destroying a rebel base.
The pro-rebel website Tamilnet.com said the planes had hit a civilian settlement.
The raids were a response to the embattled island's worst suicide bombing, in which Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters detonated a truck packed with explosives next to a convoy of buses packed with sailors.
At least 103 people were killed and 150 others wounded in Monday's attack, according to hospitals in the area.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/artic...185067.cms<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->LTTE attacks Galle harbour, Navy camp
Colombo, Oct. 18: Suspected cadres of the LTTE have attacked the Galle harbour and Sri Lankan Navy camp Dakshina at 7.45 a.m. on Tuesday adding to the confusion on the possibility of talks between the Government and the Tamil Tigers on October 28 and 29.
"Three explosions have occurred in this attack. Naval troops are retaliating the LTTE attack and the exchange of fire is still on. Few casualties have also been reported and they were rushed to the teaching hospital in Karapitiya", a statement issued by the Sri Lanka Navy said.
A spokesperson of the Navy told The Hindu that suspected LTTE cadres attacked the facility from three boats and so far, the forces have been able to destroy one of the boats. The spokesperson said reinforcement are being sent to the location.
The latest attack came even as the country is yet to recover from the attack near Habarana two days ago in which 130 navy personnel were killed and 100 others injured.
LTTE appears to have stepped up its offensive against the Sri Lanka military ahead of the talks scheduled in Switzerland in the last week of October.
On the day of Habarana, the LTTE military spokesman told the TamilNet, "When Sri Lanka Air Force bombers continue to bomb targets in Tamil homeland, far off the defence line localities where the Sri Lankan ground troops engage in frontal assaults, how could anybody expect the Tigers to refrain from targeting military installations".
Special envoys of Japan and Norway are currently here to persuade the Government and the LTTE to cease hostilities and return to the dialogue table. US Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher is arriving here on a two day visit on October 19.
"Ambassador Boucher will discuss the peace process, human rights and access to conflict areas with government ministers, civil society leaders and non-governmental organizations", a statement said.
Separately, warning against a renewed civil war in Sri Lanka between the Government and Tamil separatists after the latest "appalling" suicide bombing of a convoy of military buses, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on the sides to return to the negotiation table.
In a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr. Annan deplored the escalation of violence in the past several months, including today's bombing. "The Secretary-General stresses once again that a return to civil war will not resolve the conflict," the statement said. "He calls upon all parties to refrain from the use of force and to return to the negotiation table at the end of this month, as tentatively agreed between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)."
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000...180901.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->COLOMBO: Sri Lankan jets pounded Tamil Tiger areas in the wake of the rebels' deadliest-ever suicide bombing, officials said on Tuesday, amid heightened international moves to keep next week's scheduled peace talks on track.
The defence ministry said its Israeli-made Kfir war planes hit targets in the north-east of the island, destroying a rebel base.
The pro-rebel website Tamilnet.com said the planes had hit a civilian settlement.
The raids were a response to the embattled island's worst suicide bombing, in which Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters detonated a truck packed with explosives next to a convoy of buses packed with sailors.
At least 103 people were killed and 150 others wounded in Monday's attack, according to hospitals in the area.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/artic...185067.cms<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->LTTE attacks Galle harbour, Navy camp
Colombo, Oct. 18: Suspected cadres of the LTTE have attacked the Galle harbour and Sri Lankan Navy camp Dakshina at 7.45 a.m. on Tuesday adding to the confusion on the possibility of talks between the Government and the Tamil Tigers on October 28 and 29.
"Three explosions have occurred in this attack. Naval troops are retaliating the LTTE attack and the exchange of fire is still on. Few casualties have also been reported and they were rushed to the teaching hospital in Karapitiya", a statement issued by the Sri Lanka Navy said.
A spokesperson of the Navy told The Hindu that suspected LTTE cadres attacked the facility from three boats and so far, the forces have been able to destroy one of the boats. The spokesperson said reinforcement are being sent to the location.
The latest attack came even as the country is yet to recover from the attack near Habarana two days ago in which 130 navy personnel were killed and 100 others injured.
LTTE appears to have stepped up its offensive against the Sri Lanka military ahead of the talks scheduled in Switzerland in the last week of October.
On the day of Habarana, the LTTE military spokesman told the TamilNet, "When Sri Lanka Air Force bombers continue to bomb targets in Tamil homeland, far off the defence line localities where the Sri Lankan ground troops engage in frontal assaults, how could anybody expect the Tigers to refrain from targeting military installations".
Special envoys of Japan and Norway are currently here to persuade the Government and the LTTE to cease hostilities and return to the dialogue table. US Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher is arriving here on a two day visit on October 19.
"Ambassador Boucher will discuss the peace process, human rights and access to conflict areas with government ministers, civil society leaders and non-governmental organizations", a statement said.
Separately, warning against a renewed civil war in Sri Lanka between the Government and Tamil separatists after the latest "appalling" suicide bombing of a convoy of military buses, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on the sides to return to the negotiation table.
In a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr. Annan deplored the escalation of violence in the past several months, including today's bombing. "The Secretary-General stresses once again that a return to civil war will not resolve the conflict," the statement said. "He calls upon all parties to refrain from the use of force and to return to the negotiation table at the end of this month, as tentatively agreed between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)."
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000...180901.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->