Wed
S. P. Tamilselvan, the Tiger's political head, in a meeting with the Norwegian ambassador, said Tamils were suffering ``absolute misery,'' and criticized the international community's lack of action, the rebels' peace Web site said.
He warned that the majority Sinhalese would have to ``face the consequences soon.''
Sri Lanka rules out attempts for military gains, wants peace
Sri Lankan government says there will not be anymore military action to gain territory, and wants to pursue peace negotiations with the Tamil Tiger rebels.
The government statement came a day after the military had recorded a major triumph in the eastern province in the military clashes with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels.
The government troops annexed from the LTTE control the key Sampur area located south of the Trincomalee harbor on the ninth day of an offensive on Monday.
"The operation was not to gain territory or record victories it was just an operation in the need to ensure national security," Keheliya Rambukwella, the government's defense spokesman and the Minister of Policy Planning told reporters.
The Minister said the troops when moved forward towards the rebel held Sampur were aiming to neutralize the rebel artillery capability and the forces had achieved that objective.
Rambukwella said it was important for the government to destroy the LTTE's artillery power in order to ensure the safety of the Trincomalee harbor as the LTTE had twice attacked the port, which provides the main supply route to the troops stationed in the northern
"There are other international investments in Trinco which we have to guarantee safety," Rambukwella stressed adding that the government was still committed to the Norwegian backed peace process and expressed hope that the LTTE too would not move away from the process.
Reacting to the military advance the LTTE's official website said that they had lodged a complaint with the international truce monitors on the military's advance in violation of the February 2002 cease-fire agreement.
"The government started the war of occupation of Sampur with no concern of the cease-fire agreement", the rebel statement said.
The military advance into Sampur was coming out into open the shadow war between the two sides since the end of December 2005 with more than 1,700 deaths.
The LTTE since end of July have been maintaining its belligerence towards the troops but both sides claimed they were still upholding the truce agreement. The escalation of violence endangered efforts by the Norwegian facilitators to kick start the stalled negotiations process.
Terrorists Pound Artillery Hiding In Kadiravely (Army website)
TRINCOMALEE : LTTE TERRORISTS, now hiding in jungles, further south of MAVIL ARU in KADIRAVELY this evening (06) repeated their terror tactics after firing a spate of artillery towards troops, now deployed in MAVIL ARU area after troops had forced open the sluice gates a few weeks back.
Troops on duty in the area opened retaliatory fire and countered LTTE threat presumably causing damages to the terrorists.
Two soldiers fell victim to the enemy’s artillery fire and 16 more soldiers were injured in the incident. Injured soldiers were evacuated to hospital.
Both slain soldiers are to be accorded funerals with full military honours.
Terrorists on Tuesday (05) also fired towards troops in the same area injuring one soldier.(See earlier Situation Report 06 September 2006)
Terrorists Direct Mortar & Artillery fire
VAVUNIYA : LTTE TERRORISTS ON Wednesday (06)
No injuries were reported in the incident.
