Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Army confirms surrender of two top LTTE leaders

Sri Lanka Army confirms surrender of two top LTTE leadersColombo, 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.

Karunanidhi calls for 12-hour strike in Chennai

M Karunanidhi, Sri LankaNew 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.

`We will never surrender'

ColomboColombo, Apr. 21: Though there are no comments on the pro-rebel Web site that the movement uses to issue its statements, official communiqués and news reports, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Tuesday said that it would not surrender to the Sri Lanka armed forces, and added that their leader V. Prabhakaran was still alive and directing the counter-offensive in Puthumattalam despite an army noon deadline for surrender.

“We will never surrender and will fight till we can. The international community must intervene in the issue,” a statement reportedly issued by the rebel outfit said.

Final assault against LTTE chief Prabhakaran begins

Final assault against LTTE chief Prabhakaran beginsColombo, Apr. 21: The Sri Lankan Army has begun its final assault on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Puthumattalam on Tuesday after Army's deadline for surrender of LTTE Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran ended at noon.

Puthumattalam is the last LTTE sand bund to be captured by Sri Lanka Army.

Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Gotbaya Rajapakse categorically said today the Prabhakaran will now have to surrender or perish.

Sri Lankan civilians flee rebel-held areas for second day

Sri LankaColombo : Civilians fled Tamil rebel-held areas in north-eastern Sri Lanka for a second-consecutive day Tuesday, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.

He said the exact number of civilians who arrived from the rebel-held areas in Puthumathalan, 390 kilometres north-east of Colombo were not known but people were continuing to arrive in military-controlled areas.

On Monday, a record 39,081 civilians fled the rebel-held area using land and sea routes, he said.

The military facilitated their escape by breaking through earthworks put up by the separatist rebels to prevent security forces from entering.

Lankan President gives Prabhakaran 24-hours to surrender

Lankan President gives Prabhakaran 24-hours to surrenderColombo, Apr 20: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday warned the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief Velupillai Prabhakaran to surrender within 24 hours.

Concerned over the insurgency in the island nation, Rajapaksa said that if Prabhakaran fails to do so by Tuesday afternoon, the Lankan troops will go all out for a final military assault.

Rajapaksa told the reporters here that government forces opened up routes for more than 35,000 people to escape from the LTTE-held territory.

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