Sri Lanka

At least 50 rebels, seven soldiers die in Sri Lanka fighting

At least 50 rebels, seven soldiers die in Sri Lanka fightingColombo – At least 50 Tamil rebels and seven soldiers were killed in fighting in northern Sri Lanka, the military said Wednesday as the government pushes its offensive to regain territory held by the separatist guerillas there by the end of the year.

Fighting was reported from the Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya districts, more than 300 kilometres north of Colombo, a military spokesman in Colombo said.

Troops closing in on a rebel stronghold in northern Sri Lanka

Colombo  - Government troops were closing in on a Tamil rebel stronghold in northern Sri Lanka Tuesday as fighting continued elsewhere the region, military officials said.

Troops were heading toward Mallawi, 290 kilometres north-east of the capital, after taking control of the outer areas of the rebel stronghold.

Parts of Mallawi town were captured on Monday, but government troops had not yet taken complete control of the area.

A Tamil rebel administrative office was reported to have been overrun in Mallawi town.

The military said that several trunk roads used by the rebels run through the Mallawi town, making it strategically important.

43 to 45 wounded in Colombo market blast

Sri LankaColombo, Aug. 30 : At least 43 people have been wounded in an explosion in a Colombo market on Saturday.

Military sources said that the blast occurred near the city''s main bus station, and added that no one had claimed responsibility as yet for the incident.

The blast comes as Sri Lankan forces continue to penetrate large tracts of rebel Tamil territory in the north and east of the island-nation, leading to the fleeing of tens of thousands of people from their homes in Kilinochchi District.

Lankan air force drops leaflets in LTTE territory

Lankan air force drops leaflets in LTTE territoryColombo, Aug. 30 : Sri Lanka''s Air Force has begun dropping leaflets urging civilians to leave the country’s northern areas, which are presently under the control of the Tamil Tiger rebels.

According to the BBC, the move comes ahead of what is expected to be a fight to the finish in Sri Lanka''s protracted civil war.

Aid agencies say 134,000 displaced people are in Kilinochchi District alone, where the rebels have their administrative headquarters. More than half of them have abandoned their homes in the last three months.

Explosion in Sri Lanka's capital, at least 45 injured

Explosion in Sri Lanka's capital, at least 45 injured

2 soldiers, 26 Tamil rebels killed in Sri Lanka military offensive

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