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Sri Lanka
Military Launches Strike Against Tamil Tiger Rebels
2006-04-25
Colombo, 25 April (AKI) - The Sri Lankan army and air force has begun air and artillery strikes against the Tamil Tiger positions near the northeastern port of Trincomalee after a female suicide bomber blew herself up in the army headquarters in the capital Colombo on Tuesday. Reports say that Scandinavian monitors of the ceasefire agreement between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, confirmed the airstrikes.

The head of the Sri Lankan government peace secretariat, Palitha Kohona, was quoted on the Indian Daily News and Analysis website as saying that "the LTTE did something this afternoon that clearly breached the ceasefire" and that "the government had to act." However he also added that the government still hoped that "the LTTE will decide to come to talks."

No one has claimed responsibility for the suicide attack at the army headquarters, but the army blames the Tamil Tigers for the blast which killed at least eight people and has seriously injured army chief Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka.
Army chiefs take a dim view on attempts on their lives and tend respond violently
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), has been fighting for an independent homeland for minority Tamils in the north and east of the country since 1983 and argues that Tamils have been discriminated against by successive majority Sinhalese governments. A ceasefire was brokered between the government and the Tamil rebels in February 2002 after a two-decade long insurgency claimed more than 60,000 lives.

Peace talks were scheduled for Tuesday in Switzerland but the Tamil Tiger rebels pulled out last week following the recent escalation of violence in the Tamil-majority areas. Tuesday's suicide blast was the first such attack since July 2004.
Posted by:Steve

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