Dubai, Jan 19: Sri Lankan players contracted with the ICL can continue to play the domestic matches, according to Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge.

"We have decided to continue with our earlier decision and to allow these players to play at the domestic level. However, they are banned to play at the national level," he said over telephone from Colombo.

Colombo - At least two civilians were hacked to death, three injured and four more remain missing after Tamil rebels carried out an attack in the southern part of the country, a military spokesman said Monday.

The group of civilians had entered the woods as they tended their cattle in the Maligawila, Monragala, area, 360 kilometres south-east of the capital, on Sunday when they were attacked, the Defence Ministry said.

A search operation has been mounted in the area to locate the missing.

Colombo - Troops in northern Sri Lanka located an airstrip used by Tamil rebels, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said Friday.

The airstrip was near a major irrigation tank in Iranamadu, of the Kilinochchi district, 370 kilometres north east of the capital, he said.

The Defence Ministry said troops reported the strip was 300 metres long and 15-20 metres wide.

"What we see here is more or less a conventional airstrip but adequate for a shorter liftoff," a military official was quoted by the ministry as saying.

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has officially announced the dates of India’s tour of Sri Lanka. SLC announced that Team India will land in Sri Lanka on January 26 to play a series of 5 ODIs and a Twenty20 international match – the first ODI will be played on January 28 in Dambulla.

Another ODI will be played at Dambulla on 30 Jan, while the remaining matches will be played in Colombo on February 2, 5 and 8. The Twenty20 international will be played in Colombo on Feb 10.

Colombo - Another town held by Tamil rebels in the northern part of Sri Lanka was captured Thursday by advancing government troops after heavy fighting, a military spokesman said.

Troops took control of Dharmapuram town, 395 kilometres north-east of the capital, on Thursday afternoon and were continuing their advance into the last stronghold district of the rebels, he said.

Colombo- The Sri Lankan government sharply criticized comments made by the German Ambassador Jurgen Weerth at the funeral of a slain newspaper editor, a foreign ministry official said Wednesday.

Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona on Tuesday summoned Weerth to express the government's "displeasure," the official said on condition of anonymity.