US diplomat meets Rajapakse, Wickremasinghe, Hakim

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 October 2006, 16:19 GMT]
Richard Boucher, US Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs Thursday held discussions with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse. The discussions were centred on the proposed peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and on human rights situation in the country, diplomatic sources in Colombo said.
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Tigers, Norwegian facilitators agree on Geneva travel arrangements

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 October 2006, 14:31 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Political Head S. P. Thamilchelvan, after meeting Jon Hanssen-Bauer, the Norwegian special envoy to Sri Lanka peace process, in Kilinochchi Thursday, told media that the Tigers had given their consent to participate in the talks in Geneva, provided that the International Community, through Norwegian facilitators, guarantees a safe travel arrangement. Switzerland Ambassador also met the LTTE Political Head in Kilinochchi Thursday.
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"LTTE prepared for talks" - Akashi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 October 2006, 12:09 GMT]
Yasushi Akashi, Japanese peace envoy, after meeting Political Head of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), S.P.Thamilchelvan in Kilinochchi Wednesday, said: "We obtained commitments from Mr. Thamilchelvan that LTTE has prepared to go to Geneva for talks on the 28th October. I have insisted the importance of both sides to end all acts of violence and create an atmosphere for peaceful, sincere and honest discussions."
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Woman killed, boy wounded in SLAF bombing

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 October 2006, 11:07 GMT]
A 52-year-old woman was killed, a 10-year-old boy and a 38-year-old man were wounded Wednesday morning around 10:00 when two Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers dropped more five bombs on civilian settlements in Karadiyanaru and Vadamunai in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled territory, northwest of Batticaloa town, sources in Batticaloa said. The Kfir bombers returned to Uthuchenai at 11:00 a.m. and bombed the area for an hour.
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Tigers ready for talks, Colombo should end offensives, air-strikes - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 October 2006, 10:08 GMT]
"Colombo drew first blood, launching major offensives and air-strikes into our territory in Vaharai, and in Vanni mainland, even after we made it clear that we were serious about the talks in Geneva, extending our full support and providing necessary assurances following the call by the International Community to engage in talks and cease all violence," LTTE's Political Head S.P. Thamilchelvan told TamilNet after meeting Japanese delegation headed by Special Envoy Yasushi Akashi at the LTTE Political Head Quarters in Kilinochchi Wednesday. Tigers are prepared for talks in Geneva, Mr. Thamilchelvan said.
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SLMM inspects scene of STF Amparai offensive

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 October 2006, 09:45 GMT]
Edward and Bjørn Kjelsaas, officers of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), accompanied by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Amparai District Political Head S. Jeya, inspected the destroyed houses and properties by STF artillery shelling, and spoke with the affected civilians Tuesday morning around 11:30 a.m., sources in Amparai said. Earlier, Mr Jeya, had briefed the SLMM at the LTTE political office on the Thursday's pre-dawn offensive of the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) into Liberation Tigers territory in Kanchikudicharu.


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Orphanage escapes Sri Lankan air strike, one wounded

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 October 2006, 15:11 GMT]
Arivucholai, an orphanage housing 216 children in Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled Puthukudiyiruppu in Mullaithivu district, narrowly escaped a catastrophic air-strike from SLAF kfir aircrafts Monday evening, according to S. Kalaivannan, an administrative official at the orphanage. Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) officials Tuesday afternoon visited the orphanage, a brother orphanage to Sencholai, Tuesday afternoon. The LTTE administration has sought security assurances through the SLMM in Kilinochchi.
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SLAF bombs broadcast tower in Vanni

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 October 2006, 10:38 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers Tuesday destroyed the main broadcast tower and transmitter of the Thamileelam Radio that broadcasts the official broadcast of the Liberation Tigers, the Voice of Tigers (VoT), Thamileelam Vanoli, a commercial Tamil service and a Sinhala language broadcast. Political Head of the LTTE, S.P. Thamilchelvan, who visited the broadcast station along the A9 Road in Kokkavil, 15 km south of Kilinochchi, charged the Sri Lankan Government for attacking the broadcast station with a "planned agenda to suppress the freedom of expression prior to the talks scheduled in Geneva."
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US condemns Habarana attack on SL Navy

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 October 2006, 09:54 GMT]
The United States Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs, Sean McCormack, has condemned the "suicide attack" Monday near Habarana in Sri Lanka. "Though there have been no claims of responsibility this attack is in keeping with the tactics of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam," a press release issued by the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka said Tuesday. "Only through the cessation of violence, a renewed commitment to peace talks, and constructive engagement by both sides can a political solution to this conflict be achieved."
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SLAF revenge bombing kills baby, girl in Mullaithivu

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 October 2006, 16:24 GMT]
A one-year-old baby girl and a 12-year-old girl were killed and 15 civilians were wounded when Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked Kaiveli, a village in Puthukudiyiruppu, between 5:15 and 5:45, Monday, medical sources in Mullaithivu said. Four SLAF Kfir bombers targeted a civilian settlement on the left side of Puthukudiyiruppu - Paranthan Road. 9 civilian houses were destroyed in the bombardment. A one-month-old baby miraculously escaped from the attack. A Kfir jet came down in Negombo when it took off to bomb Puthukudiyiruppu this evening.
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SLAF Kfir bomber comes down in Negombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 October 2006, 13:46 GMT]
A Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Israeli-built Kfir bomber came down as it took off to bomb LTTE territory Monday evening at 5:45 p.m. The Kfir jet fell into the Negombo lagoon.
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Military installations "legitimate targets" when Colombo bombs locations far off FDLs, says LTTE

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 October 2006, 13:24 GMT]
LTTE's Military Spokesman, Irasiah Ilanthirayan, ruling out the possibility of "suicide mission" as the mode of attack on Sri Lanka Navy in Habarana Monday, declined to reject Tigers regarding the military targets outside the Forward Defence Line (FDL) localities as legitimate targets if and when Sri Lankan military continued to engage in aerial bombardment and artillery shelling far beyond the defence line localities into LTTE territory.
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SLA trooper killed, two injured in Vavunathivu mortar fire

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 October 2006, 10:02 GMT]
One SLA trooper was killed and two seriously injured when Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) retaliated with mortar fire against the heavy mortar attack launched SLA soldiers from Vavunathivu SLA base on LTTE's Forward Defence Line (FDL) Sunday at 10:00 p.m., said Vavunathivu sources.


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Akashi arrives in Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 October 2006, 05:02 GMT]
Yashushi Akashi, Japanese special peace envoy arrived in Colombo Sunday night around 10 p.m. at Katunayake International Airport on a five day stay. He is scheduled to meet Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse Monday morning and Minister Nimal Sripala de Silva this afternoon at the latter's office regarding the proposed peace talks scheduled to be held on October 28 and 29 in Geneva.
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STF offensives repulsed - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 October 2006, 09:50 GMT]
An offensive launched by the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) troopers Saturday night into Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled territory south of Batticloa, was repulsed according to LTTE officials in Batticaloa. A Tiger Major and a Captain were killed in action, the Tiger officials said. Meanwhile, residents who fled Periya Porathivu said two civilians were wounded in artillery shelling from Paddiruppu bridge STF positions Friday night. Meanwhile, LTTE sources in Amparai said the STF troopers who penetrated into Kanchikudicharu were forced to retreat following a series of Tiger ambush attacks launched on them.
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SLAF Kfir jets drop 48 bombs on Vanni

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 October 2006, 18:48 GMT]
Six Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers, in one of the biggest bombing raids in the heart of Vanni, dropped at least 48 bombs in two sorties on Muttayankattu village in Mullaithivu district, Friday between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m., Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) officials in Kilinochchi said. Muttayankattu is located 10 km southeast of Puthukudiyiruppu.
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LTTE hands over 74 SLA bodies to ICRC

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 October 2006, 03:07 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) handed over 74 bodies of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in black body bags to ICRC Thursday evening in Kilinochchi. Another soldier's body was brought to Kilinochchi Thursday evening. More than fifty bodies of SLA soldiers are strewn around in the battlefield in unidentifiable state, according to LTTE officials. 133 SLA soldiers were killed in action or reported missing according to the official figures released by the Sri Lankan defence ministry media co-ordinating centre Thursday. More than 200 SLA soldiers were killed when LTTE defense formations under Special Commander Col. Theepan defeated the SLA forces Wednesday, LTTE officials claimed.
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Co-chairs must act to stop war- Gajendrakumar

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 October 2006, 18:30 GMT]
"Co-chairs and the International community should go beyond making statements by taking concrete steps to pressure the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to stop waging an aggressive war and to compel the GoSL to engage in meaningful talks with the Liberation Tigers," said Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, at a press meet held Thursday morning in Colombo Renuka Hotel, TNA sources in Colombo said.
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Sri Lankan offensive in Amparai - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 October 2006, 12:26 GMT]
Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) troopers launched a pre-dawn offensive into Liberation Tigers territory in Amparai Thursday. "The STF ground troopes have moved in 6 km into our territory inside Kanchikudicharu," said LTTE Amparai District Political Head S. Jeya. STF was continuing to target villages in the area surrounding Kanchikudichcharu with artilery shelling from Thirukkovil, Sahama, Kanjirankudah camps and Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers were also targeting the villages, Mr. Jeya said.
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"Cease violence, foster a conducive environment for talks," US urges GoSL, LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 October 2006, 11:43 GMT]
The United States is deeply concerned that ongoing violence in Sri Lanka is putting the agreement to return to talks in Geneva in October 28-29 at risk, the US Embassy in Colombo said in a press release issued on Wednesday. "We call on both sides to cease hostilities immediately and foster an environment that is conducive to holding productive discussions in Geneva," the statement said.
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