Associated Press, Thu August 3, 2006 03:00 EDT . DILIP GANGULY - Associated Press Writer - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Dozens of Tamil Tiger rebels infiltrated a small, government-held town during fierce fighting in northeastern Sri Lanka - , and soldiers were trying to flush them out, a government spokesman said Thursday. It quoted residents as saying intense fighting was under way in Muttur as ``hundreds of heavily armed (Tamil Tigers) who have taken control of the town center laid siege to four Sri Lanka - army camps on its periphery.''
Some residents have taken shelter in mosques and churches, TamilNet said. The clashes have been among the fiercest since a 2002 cease-fire deal was signed between the government and the Tigers.
The latest violence was sparked by a rebel move last month to shut down a reservoir and cut off water to nearby government-held villages. The military responded with airstrikes and a ground assault.
Norwegian envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer, who is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka - on Friday, was to meet with Sri Lankan government and rebel leaders in an effort to settle the dispute, Norwegian embassy spokesman Tom Knappskog said Thursday.
Separately, New York-based Human Rights Watch said a boosted international monitoring presence was needed in Sri Lanka - after three of the five Nordic countries overseeing the 2002 cease-fire decided to withdraw observers.
The group described ``the urgent need for a strong international human rights monitoring presence to help ensure civilian protection.''
``The lives of countless civilians are at risk at this critical time,'' Brad Adams, the group's Asia director, said in a statement.
Sweden, Finland and Denmark have said they were pulling out for security reasons. The rebels had demanded that EU members withdraw after the 25-nation group labeled the Tamil Tigers as terrorists in May.
Sri Lanka fighting rages, aid workers cannot help - Reuters
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