Sri Lanka

UN calls for truce after government rejects LTTE offer

Article published on the 2009-02-24 Latest update 2009-02-24 10:23 TU

Boys who escaped a Tamil Tigers rebel-held area play cricket at a temporary refugee camp in Vavuniya
(Credit: Reuters)

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for a ceasefire between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the government after the Colombo rejected a truce offered by the rebel group. He said called for a suspension of fighting in order to allow the evacuation of civilians trapped in the conflict zone.

"There is an urgent need to bring this conflict to an end without any further unneccessary loss of civilian life and destruction of Sri Lankan society," Ban told reporters at the UN.

Ban called for more political discussion in order to avoid further bloodshed. The Sri Lankan government estimates that  some 70,000 people are still trapped behind the front lines. Some 35,000 people have fled the north since the fighting erupted.

"The UN deplores the increasing casualties among civilians trapped in the intense fighting between the government and the LTTE over the last several days," said Ban.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan government troops advanced on the northern part of the island, the LTTE's last holdout. The Defence Ministry said  that intense fighting has been going on in Puthukkudirirppu on Tuesday. The LTTE has lost control over nearly all of the north.

The government is investigating the LTTE's attempted suicide plane bombing last Friday night. Two light planes were en route to the government's main air base, but one was shot down mid-flight, while the other crashed into the nearby tax building in a ball of flames.