Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka rebels declare ceasefire

Article published on the 2008-07-22 Latest update 2008-07-23 10:22 TU

Sri Lanka fires on Tamil Tigers
(Photo: AFP)

Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have announced they will observe a unilateral ceasefire for about one week in an effort to support the South Asian regional summit. The LTTE pledged to only take defensive action if attacked.

However the Sri Lankan government has dismissed the offer and signalled that its daily attacks against the rebels' northern mini-state would continue.

"Our movement will observe a unilateral ceasefire... during the period of the Saarc conference from 26 July to 4 August and give our co-operation for the success of the conference," the Tamil Tigers said in a statement.

The summit participants are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan. However the rebels said they would be forced to take "defensive action" if the military conducted operations.

Fighting between Tigers and the military is currently centred around the north, but the rebels also carry out attacks against military, economic and civilian targets elsewhere on the island, including in and around the capital.

The LTTE have been fighting for an independent homeland for minority Tamils since 1972, and the conflict has left tens of thousands dead.

Sri Lanka pulled out of a Norwegian-backed truce with the LTTE in January, as Colombo felt it had the upper hand to defeat the rebels. The government accused the rebels of using that ceasefire to regroup and rearm.

Sri Lanka's army chief said last week his forces had wiped out two-thirds of the rebels' military capability in the latest episode of the conflict, and that the war was at its tail-end.