| Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka say eight top aides of a breakaway rebel leader have been shot dead in a suburb of the capital, Colombo. The dead are said to include Colonel Karuna's bodyguard and finance chief. The killings come as a Norwegian peace envoy arrives for fresh talks, after warning that the current situation could plunge the country back into war. A recent surge of violence seems to be turning into a low-level guerrilla war between the Tigers and Colonel Karuna. The Tigers have long argued that Colonel Karuna is working with the army and in this instance, they allege a military intelligence officer was among the dead. The government and the army have strenuously denied any involvement with the rebel defector. |