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| Sri Lanka |
| Navy 'destroys' Tamil Tiger boat |
| 2006-05-05 |
| The Sri Lankan navy says it has destroyed a Tamil Tiger boat off the north-west coast. The navy says five of its boats were on patrol when they came under attack from the Tamil Tiger boats. There has been no comment from the Tigers. Violence in Sri Lanka has intensified in recent weeks, with a suicide attack on the army headquarters last month. The government retaliated with air strikes against rebel positions in the east of the island. Friday's latest violence is said to have taken place near Kalpitiya, some 140km (86 miles) north-west of Colombo, the Associated Press news agency reports. "When our naval crafts were patrolling in the sea two suspicious boats approached," navy spokesman Commander DKP Dassanayake told AP. "Another two joined them shortly and started firing at (the) navy boats." The navy said it fired back and one boat was sunk. Later the military says it called in helicopter gunships to attack Tiger forces that were planning to attack the sailors when they came to land. The BBC's Dumeetha Luthra in Colombo says that each day skirmishes between the Tamil Tigers and the military increase in ferocity and that they are a direct violation of the ceasefire signed four years ago. Our correspondent says the boundaries are being pushed by both sides. Both parties say they are still committed to peace talks, but there is no evidence that the negotiations will start soon. On Thursday, the Sri Lankan army said that at least seven people were killed in Jaffna when assailants travelling in two three-wheelers threw hand grenades at an army checkpoint. A military spokesperson said that soldiers immediately blocked the road and returned fire. The Tigers say the dead were innocent civilians. International donors have voiced their concern over the violence and a Japanese peace envoy, Yasushi Akashi, is to travel to Sri Lanka on Saturday. He is due to meet President Mahinda Rajapakse and senior Tamil Tiger leaders, although officials say the precise details have not yet been worked out and it is not clear if he will travel to rebel controlled areas. The Tamil Tigers and the government had been due to hold talks in Switzerland last month but they were cancelled indefinitely after the rebels pulled out. It followed a disagreement with the government over the safe passage of Tiger leaders based in the east to consult with those in the north. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 "The Tigers say the dead were innocent civilians." Though I'm for neither side, this is quite probable with third world countries in their conflicts. No (willing)witnesses make that too easy. |
| Posted by: Duh! 2006-05-05 12:42 |
| #1 Now they need safe passage out of Switzerland. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-05-05 09:27 |