Colombo, Apr. 23 : The Sri Lankan Army on Thursday said that it is closing in on LTTE Chief V. Prabhakaran''s hide out, adding that the guerrillas now controlled a mere 10-12 square kilometres of territory on the northeast coast, where thousands of civilians are still trapped by the fighting.
The army claim as Seevaratnam Puleedevan, secretary-general of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) peace secretariat, urged the international community to intervene by forcing a permanent ceasefire, which Sri Lanka has ruled out.
Colombo- Government troops Thursday thrust further into the last areas held by Tamil rebels on Sri Lanka's north-eastern coast, military officials said, as the United Nations Security Council called on the rebels to surrender.
More than 2,000 civilians escaped from the Puthmathalan area, 390 kilometres north-east of the capital Colombo, Thursday morning, putting the total number of civilians who fled the area since Monday to 102,790.
New York - The United Nations Security Council met Wednesday to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka, where more than 100,000 refugees have fled rebel-held areas.
The informal meeting was requested by France, the country's UN Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert told reporters. He said he had no doubt that the 15-nation Security Council will arrive at a consensus to call for a truce or a ceasefire.
Colombo - Refugees streamed out of the shrinking Tamil rebel-held areas again Wednesday as government troops tightened a cordon around the zone in north-eastern Sri Lanka, military spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said.
Rambukwella told journalists that 81,420 civilian refugees had been counted since Monday in the Puthumathalan area, about 390 kilometres north-east of the capital, and the exodus was continuing.
Colombo, Apr. 22 : Two top leaders of the rebel Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Ealam (LTTE) have surrendered before the Sri Lanka Army in Puthumathalam.
According to a Times Now report, Daya Master and George surrendered before officers of the 58th Division of the Sri Lankan Army.
Daya Master and George were part of the LTTE supreme V. Prabhakaran’s inner circle, and were key spokesmen of the rebel outfit.
New Delhi, Apr 22 : Pushing forward his demand for an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has called for a 12-hour strike in Chennai on Thursday.
Late on Tuesday night, Karunanidhi issued a final appeal and asked all Tamils, irrespective of their political affiliations, to join the strike.
He justified his decision saying that besides asking the Centre to demand a permanent ceasefire, the strike was also for sympathising with the plight of Tamils in that country.
Colombo, Apr. 23 : The Sri Lankan Army on Thursday said that it is closing in on LTTE Chief V. Prabhakaran''s hide out, adding that the guerrillas now controlled a mere 10-12 square kilometres of territory on the northeast coast, where thousands of civilians are still trapped by the fighting.
Colombo- Government troops Thursday thrust further into the last areas held by Tamil rebels on Sri Lanka's north-eastern coast, military officials said, as the United Nations Security Council called on the rebels to surrender.
New York - The United Nations Security Council met Wednesday to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka, where more than 100,000 refugees have fled rebel-held areas.
Colombo - Refugees streamed out of the shrinking Tamil rebel-held areas again Wednesday as government troops tightened a cordon around the zone in north-eastern Sri Lanka, military spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said.
New Delhi, Apr 22 : Pushing forward his demand for an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has called for a 12-hour strike in Chennai on Thursday.
