Colombo announces another amnesty for deserted SLA soldiers

[TamilNet, Monday, 03 November 2008, 16:56 GMT]
The Government of Sri Lanka has declared another two weeks' amnesty for deserted soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army to return for duty in battle front. The amnesty period commenced last Saturday and would conclude on November 15, according to a press release by the Sri Lankan Defense Ministry. Fifteen-thousand soldiers have deserted the Sri Lankan military.
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SLA soldier killed in Claymore attack in Trincomalee - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 November 2008, 12:10 GMT]
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in a news-release issued from the East on Sunday said one Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier was killed at Singana in Kanthalaay (Kantale) of Trincomalee district Saturday around 7:00 p.m. in a Claymore attack on an SLA patrol.
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Army behind abduction of Sinhalese cattle herders, residents allege

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 November 2008, 18:33 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers attached to Palatupana army camp Thursday night allegedly 'abducted' three Sinhalese cattle herders while they were consuming liquor with two soldiers at Doserwewa in Kataragama (Kathikaamam) according to the villagers. The incident took place around 10:30 p.m.
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MI-24, Bell damaged in Tiger air strike on Mannaar garrison

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 October 2008, 13:09 GMT]
An MI-24 attack helicopter gunship of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), deployed in Vanni offensive, and a Bell helicopter used to transport the wounded soldiers from the battlefield, sustained damage Tuesday night when Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) air wing, Tamileelam Air Force, carried out a bombing raid on the Sri Lankan garrison at Tha'l'laadi in Mannaar, according to a reliable military source.
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Saiva priest, student reported missing in Valikaamam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 October 2008, 19:36 GMT]
Family members of the priest of a Saiva temple in Alaveddi in Valikaamam in Jaffna peninsula lodged a complaint with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna that the said priest had gone missing since October 20 after leaving home to attend to his daily duties in the temple. Meanwhile, the family members registered a complaint with Jaffna HRC that their son, as student at the Jaffna Technical College, has gone missing.
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Colombo to avoid reporting casualty figures on Vanni fighting

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 2008, 22:36 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on Friday continued in its attempt to advance further into southern Ki'linochchi facing stiff resistance from the Tigers, according to the officials of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in Vanni. Fighting intensified as SLA attempted to advance towards Naachchikkudaa on Friday, they said adding that the SLA has suffered heavy casualties. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Defence Ministry officials said they have suspended reporting casualty figures of their side in the offensive that has been stepped up in Vanni.
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EPDP enforces shutdown in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 October 2008, 11:12 GMT]
Eelam Peoples' Democratic Party (EPDP) brought about a forced shutdown Thursday in Jaffa peninsula assisted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police to protest against the Sea Tiger attack on Sri Lankan ships Wednesday early morning, affecting normalcy of life in Jaffna peninsula. EPDP obstructed distribution of a local newspaper Thursday prompting the daily's Colombo head office to release a protest report besides lodging a complaint with the relevant authorities.
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2 SLA killed in Ampaa'rai - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 October 2008, 10:42 GMT]
Two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and one wounded Thursday at 11:05 a.m. in a gunfire ambush carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in Bakimitiyawa in Ampaa'rai district, according to LTTE sources in the East.
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Grenade attack on SLA sentry post in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 October 2008, 10:31 GMT]
Unidentified persons hurled a hand grenade Tuesday night on the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry post located close to Naavalar Veethi in Jaffna, and local residents had heard sounds of gunshots following the attack, sources in Jaffna said. Details are not known if anyone was killed or injured.
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SLA steps up fighting in Mu'rika'ndi, Akkaraayan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 October 2008, 19:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopter gunships were deployed in transporting casualties on Wednesday from newly occuppied territories in the southern frontiers of Ki'linochchi as Sri Lanka Army stepped up fighting amid stiff resistance by the Tigers. SLA launched artillery barrage in the frontiers also extended to target the suburbs of Ki'linochchi town, causing panic among the civilians who had come back for temporary stay in their houses due to the lack of shelter elsewhere following the monsoonal rain. More than 80 SLA soldiers were killed and 200 sustained injuries within the past 4 days, according to informed sources in Colombo.
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Explosions target Sri Lankan ships in the seas off Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 October 2008, 03:32 GMT]
Two big explosions were heard in the seas off Kaankeasanthu'rai Harbour in Jaffna around 4:00 a.m. Wednesday. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers fired rockets from their coastal positions in Vadamaraadchi North, fishermen in the area said reporting heavy exchange of gunfire in the seas after the explosions. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan military officials in Colombo said one of their ships sustained damage in the attack and that they prevented the Sea Tiger boats from destroying the other ship. In the meantime, the SLA soldiers have instructed the fishermen not to access the seas off Vadamaraadchi Wednesday morning. The LTTE is yet to issue details of their attack.
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6 civilians including woman seek protection with HRC Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 October 2008, 20:14 GMT]
Five civilians from Thenmaraadchi, including a young woman and a family man from Valikaamam sought Monday protection to their lives due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna. Four of them were instructed by Chaavakachcheari Magistrate Court to surrender with HRC Jaffna office, HRC sources said.
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Shut down observed in Batticaloa district

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 October 2008, 20:10 GMT]
A general shut down was observed in Batticaloa district Monday against Tamil youths being abducted and killed by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Tamil youths arrested being killed, civil society sources in Batticaloa said. All public and private institutions, business establishments were shut down in Batticaloa district though SLA troops compelled the shop owners to open the shops.
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SLA imposes unofficial restrictions on Thenmaraadchi residents

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 October 2008, 17:21 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna has imposed restrictions on the residents in Thenmaraadchi against buying food provisions in large quantities or to stock them from Sunday, following instructions from the Ministry of Defence, sources in Jaffna said. SLA authorities suspect that the people of Thenmaraadchi are providing food to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eazham (LTTE) combatants who had infiltrated into Thenmaraadchi.
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STF shoots dead 2 Tamils, 2 Muslims in Ampaa'rai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 October 2008, 19:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka Special Task Force (STF) commandos opened fire Thursday around 6:00 a.m, on four farmers, two of them Tamils and two Muslims, killing them at Vaddamadu pasture land in Thirukkoayil police division in Ampaa'rai district.
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SLA attempt to advance thwarted in Northern FDL - LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 October 2008, 14:21 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) on Thursday claimed that their defensive formations thwarted an attempt by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to advance into their territory across Mukamaalai Forward Defence Line (FDL) in Jaffna. Heavy fighting that erupted at 5:30 a.m. lasted till 2:30 p.m., the Tigers said, claiming that more than 15 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and at least 40 wounded in the fighting.
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Clashes erupt in Jaffna FDL

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 October 2008, 13:01 GMT]
Clashes between Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) erupted Thursday early morning in Thenmaraadchi Front Defence Line, after direct confrontations between Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and the LTTE's Sea Tigers in Jaffna lagoon Wednesday night, according to the sources in Jaffna. As SLA in Jaffna has not released any information about this clash it is not known whether the clashes indicated a limited SLA military offensive.
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SLA enters Magazine prison, abuse Tamil prisoners - MP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 October 2008, 08:45 GMT]
Around 20 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) personnel Wednesday entered the Magazine Prison in Colombo, verbally abused and stripped the detainees sexually harassing them, the prisoners complained to Tamil National Alliance Batticaloa district parliamentarian P. Ariyaneththiran.
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37 civilians arrested in Anuradhapura

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 2008, 19:55 GMT]
Thirty seven civilians, including Tamils and Sinhalese, were taken into custody for questioning in a search operation conducted Sunday from dawn till dusk, civil sources said. Following the killing of Major General (retd) Janaka Perera and 29 others, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers are conducting cordon and search operations in hotels and business establishments in Anuradhapura town and suburbs daily.
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2 SLA soldiers, STF commando killed in Ampaa'rai - LTTE

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 2008, 13:27 GMT]
A commando team of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), attached to the Batticaloa Command of the Tigers, attacked a Field-bike Road Patrol of the Sri Lanka Army, killing two SLA soldiers Tuesday around 3:00 p.m. in Maha Oya division of Ampaa'rai district, according to a media release issued by the political division of the LTTE in Batticaloa. Meanwhile, LTTE's Ampaa'rai command claimed that a Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) commando was killed in a booby trap explosion in Kangchikudichchaa'ru in Ampaa'rai.
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