Tigers overrun SLA defences in Chavakachcheri

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 May 2000, 09:30 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers overran the defences of the Sri Lanka army on the approach to Chavakachcheri, east of Jaffna town according military sources in Colombo. A press release by the Sri Lankan government's Media Centre said this afternoon that senior ground commanders of the SLA "shifted their defences to prepared positions to the north east" of the Thanangkilappu sector.
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SLA warns Jaffna journalist

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2000, 20:15 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army in Jaffna reprimanded and warned senior Jaffna journalist Mr.C.N Vithyatharan today for publishing in his paper a story about the Sri Lankan President breaking into tears during her meeting with Indian Air Force chief A.Y Tipnis last week. He was also severely warned that action would be taken against him for publishing in his paper, Uthayan, the names of the five civlians, including two children, who were killed in the Sri Lanka Air Force bombing in Pooneryn on Friday, May 12.
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Offensive exposes Jaffna's 'soft underbelly'

[TamilNet, Sunday, 14 May 2000, 16:02 GMT]
Sri Lankan Air Force jets continued bombing raids on the positions of the Tiger troops holding the Ariyalai and Thanangkilappu sectors to the south east of Jaffna town. However, the situation report put out by the Sri Lankan government's Media Centre today indicated that the Tigers are active in these sectors despite the heavy bombing.
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Tigers prepare final assault

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 May 2000, 17:11 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said Friday they were preparing for "the final push" into Jaffna city. Heavily armed LTTE troops have moved from the Vanni into the newly captured areas for this purpose amid panic and confusion amongst the defending Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops, the Tigers said in a statement from their London offices, adding that civilians were leaving the northern city despite an SLA-imposed curfew.
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Send succor to Jaffna troops - Ranil

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 May 2000, 14:27 GMT]
Addressing the Sri Lankan Parliament today on the war crisis in northern Sri Lanka, opposition leader Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the government should guarantee the life and property of the civilians in Jaffna. The opposition leader urged the Sri Lankan government to send food and medicine urgently required by the beleaguered troops in Jaffna.
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Fresh advances in Jaffna town -LTTE

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2000, 16:22 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers have advanced close to Jaffna city centre as their offensive in the northern peninsula continues, the LTTE said Thursday. The Tigers have also overrun two key Sri Lanka Army (SLA) bases at Kovilakandy and Thanankillappu in another prong of their operation, the organisation said in a statement from its London offices.
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Minister says war needs 12 billion more

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2000, 14:13 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister for Finance Prof.G.L.Pieris told Parliament today that his government has to raise 12 billion rupees more to prosecute the war against the Liberation Tigers. He announced that the defence levy on all goods and services will be increased again to raise part of the monies required for the war effort.
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Tigers pushing closer to town centre

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2000, 13:13 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers have begun moving into the coastal suburbs of Jaffna town said a senior journalist at a daily newspaper published in the northern peninsula contacted by phone this evening. He said that the Sri Lankan army positions in Maniyanthottam, Ariyalai, Colombuthurai have been vacated.
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CSU personnel injured in claymore attack

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 May 2000, 06:16 GMT]
Five military trained Policemen including three operatives of the Counter Subversive Unit (CSU) were wounded when they were hit by a claymore mine blast in the heart of Mannar town this morning around 10.30 a.m. The Police said that the Liberation Tigers were responsible for the attack in this high security zone.
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New advances in Jaffna -LTTE

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2000, 19:38 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said Wednesday they are advancing into the Navatkuli, Ariyalai and Thanankillapu areas in the outskirts of Jaffna town, following fierce fighting with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA). A 2km stretch of the A9 highway, inclusive of the Navatkuli bridge, had come under the LTTE's control, the organisation said in a press release from its London offices Wednesday night. LTTE troops have also advanced 2km into the Thanankillapu area and occupied Maniyanthoddan in the Ariyalai sector, the statement said.
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Heavy fighting in Jaffna - MoD

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2000, 10:07 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Wednesday that the Liberation Tigers had launched a "major attack" on Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops manning defences at Ariyalai and Tanankillappu in Jaffna, using " heavy volume of artillery and mortars".
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Fighting erupts again in Kilali

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2000, 17:07 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army base in Kilali is being attacked by the Liberation Tigers from 5.30 a.m. this morning Tamil media reports in Europe quoting Voice of Tigers radio said Tuesday. The Tigers in Jaffna have announced that Operation Unceasing Waves III has resumed the reports said. Meanwhile a statement by the Sri Lankan government's Media Centre said that there was a heavy assault this morning on SLA positions north of Pallai.
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Ratwatte vows to keep Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2000, 10:06 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister for Defence, General Anuruddha Ratwatte wowed today in Parliament to defend Jaffna by 'recouping all resources' available to his government. Addressing the Parliament this morning on the military crisis in the north, he claimed that the draconian regulations imposed by the Sri Lankan government under the Public Security Ordinance will not be used to postpone the general elections which are due in August this year.
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Chandrika says will win war soon

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2000, 20:40 GMT]
"The government has decided to win the war as soon as possible" said the Sri Lankan President today in an address to the nation. She claimed that the draconian regulations promulgated by her government last week under the Public Security Ordinance was only a temporary measure and would be put into effect only in extreme situations.
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SLA dismisses ceasefire offer

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2000, 11:36 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army totally rejected the ceasefire offer by the Liberation Tigers today. An officer at the operational headquarters of the Ministry of defence said this afternoon that the SLA will fight to the last man to defend Jaffna. An official release stating the government's position would be out later this afternoon he said.
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LTTE offers cease-fire for safe withdrawal

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 May 2000, 09:35 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers said Monday that they are prepared to declare a temporary cease-fire to allow the Sri Lanka Army troops in the northern Jaffna peninsula to withdraw safely. In a statement from its London offices, the LTTE said its offer was "gesture of goodwill" to prevent further bloodshed and "to create a congenial environment" for the SLA "to withdraw from the unfavourable theatre of war with dignity and honour".
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SLA vacates camps north of Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 May 2000, 13:17 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army vacated two key camps north of Batticaloa on Friday. The pull out was acknowledged in the situation report put out today the Special Media Information Centre set up under the regulations of the Public Security Act.
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Sri Lanka resumes diplomatic relations with Israel

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 May 2000, 08:18 GMT]
The Government of Sri Lanka has decided to resume diplomatic relations with the Government of Israel with immediate effect, said foreign ministry in a news release today.
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Sri Lanka on war-footing

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 03 May 2000, 16:15 GMT]
The Sri Lankan minister of Post, Telecommunication and Media Mr.Mangala Samaraweera announcing cabinet decision Wednesday said that the country has been put on a war footing. Meanwhile sources said the Indian Central Government has declined to respond positively to the Sri Lankan Government's request for assistance to handle the military crisis in the north of the island.
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Tigers to return 14 bodies

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 May 2000, 20:45 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers have contacted today the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in the Vanni, regarding handing over of 14 more bodies of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers killed in the fighting in Pallai on Sunday, said Harsha Gunawardene, the Spokesman for the organisation.
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